The Rarest Pet
by Magic Rose
Summary: AU/Timeline of "Ambition." Bulma's project continues to take shape. A/N: This fic is up to 35 chapters but will no longer be updated on this website beyond this chapter as I'm trying to edit this story and I don't really want to do that with the convoluted method this site requires. Please see my AO3 or dA page for up-to-date chapters.
1. Victim

Author's Note: This is, as the summary states, an alternate timeline of Ambition. Read up to chapter 15 there, and then move here, otherwise you are going to be _very_ confused. Unless you don't mind going in blind, in which case, go right ahead. Fair warning, though, this is not as hopeful as Ambition.

* * *

Returning to the set was both unnerving and settling at the same time. Kale was no longer required to fight Frieza, but she still found herself itching for the opportunity to do so again. The fear was still there, as it had been during their last fight. His laughter still sent her into the reaches of terror, and yet...

...and yet he was still the greatest opponent she had ever had the chance to face. It was perplexing to have her saiyan instinct fighting fear and asking for more. After years of carefully grooming it, telling it to keep its place, and generally squashing it in favor of using her words, it was coming out in force.

What was worse was that the smug bastard seemed to know it.

Eight hours she spent with him that day, eight torturous, boring hours of businesslike lines, of playing the part of her character: the young saiyan attempting to get close enough to Frieza to kill him. It was mind-numbing enough that she insisted, on returning to her dressing room, that she could remove her makeup and the chest and hip bandings herself. The wardrobe lady protested briefly, but scuttled out of the room anyway, glad to have gotten off early.

SIghing, Kale went to the sink and filled it, washing the makeup off her face and taking a deep breath.

Broken bones...blood loss...why was it calling to her like this? Why was the suppression of that side of her no longer working?

 _Because of the thrill of the fight. You can't push it away forever._

 _Just watch me. I haven't gotten this far by simply giving in to base instinct._

Kale headed over to the wardrobe at that, and yawned, pulling off the outfit they'd had her in all day. Underneath was the banding, and underneath that, the basic two-piece form-fitting underarmour suit. With another sigh she starting on the hip bandings. It wasn't that she was unused to the process, it was that she had forgotten how tedious it was.

She heard the door open, and huffed as she kept unwinding the bandings. "I told you, I can handle it myself. There's no need to hover over me."

There was a chuckle, and she froze in place.

"I hope that you aren't ordering me around."

She whipped around to see-Frieza, still in his final form. After a nervous deep breath, she asked, "Was there something I messed up on set?"

"You could say that," he said, "You seemed to be...oh, what's the word...on edge the entire time. I'm wondering if you had anything to say to me."

"I was looking forward to another fight," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "As much as I try not to admit it, fighting you, despite losing, is still thrilling." And frightening, but that seemed only to feed back into her desire to go right back into combat with him again.

 _No one said the saiyan inclination to fight had to make sense._

He took a step forward, and nodded, "I suppose battling me IS interesting for you saiyans...you rarely find such a challenge just hanging around. And I could, I imagine, say the same of your kind. What's left of them, anyway."

There was an awkward pause, and she turned back to the mirror to finish with the hip bandings, hoping he'd just leave. She was experienced with flattery, but right now she simply didn't want to be bothered. He could wait to hear what an astounding opponent he was some other time.

She shut her eyes briefly and cringed as she ripped off the body tape that secured the banding to her skin, and turned back toward the sink, intending to wash up a bit.

He was still there.

"Was there something else you wanted?" she asked. Please say no...I'd really like to get back to the station sometime this week...

"As a matter of fact..." he said, "...there was. I don't suppose you're interested in sparring? I rarely have an opponent who can last more than a few seconds...and who doesn't start crying when they lose."

It was like dangling cake in front of a child. He saw the spark in her eyes and could almost smell the hunger for battle rising from under that façade of simpering civility.

"Well, I'd certainly like to say yes, but the directors would really rather I not go constantly to and from the healing tanks. It was hard enough on their scheduling as it was with you trying to break every bone in my body." She turned away and unbanded her chest, then changed into her armor, inwardly grumbling at not having had the chance to clean up a bit.

"That's funny," he said, as they left the dressing room and headed down the hall, "I could swear that you were enjoying yourself."

"You're very perceptive, Lord Frieza," she said, glad to slip back behind her sycophantic mask. Perhaps that would keep her from falling back into the battle-hungry mood he'd tried to pull her into, "I hate to admit that I enjoy it. I try not to, yet it keeps dragging me back in. But I'm guessing you already knew that."

"Of course," he replied, "But at least you're able to bring it down to a manageable degree. Most monkies barely have the wherewithal to do more than sneer at others."

"I try to strike a balance between the two. Going full flattery rarely ends well for anyone."

"And here we are."

They walked into one of the two training rooms in the hallway, and Kale felt a little uneasy as she took off her armor-having only brought one set with her and not wanting it to get smashed up. But she brushed the feeling off as he walked across the room, turned to face her, and moved into his fighting stance.

The hunger was electrifying and she rushed at him fist first. He sidestepped, grabbed her leg, and flung her into the wall. Growling, she dashed back and threw a ki ball at him from each hand.

He deflected each one and pushed forward, giving her a stunning blow across the face. She spit blood, and looked up at him with a grin. Her heart was racing as she flew at him yet again, only to be kicked into an opposite wall.

He then went on the offensive and she found herself hopelessly outsped and on the receiving end of a flurry of punches, only a few of which she managed to block. He smirked as she yelped briefly from an impromptu kidney shot; and laughed when he noticed the cringe that resulted.

It continued like that for nearly an hour, until she finally conceded and admitted Frieza to be the victor. She bowed briefly and then headed for the door, quite pleased with the outcome. No healing tank visit, no threat of death, just a good fight. It was more than she could've hoped for.

He grabbed her arm as she passed. "Where do you think you're going?"

" I'm...I'm sorry, I thought we were done fighting. That..." In a moment of panic she tried to yank her arm from his grip, and found herself flung against the nearest wall.

He was in front of her in a split second and had to hold back laughter as she realized her back was against the wall. The look on her face...oh, that was delicious. "We are done when I say we are done. I think there's one very important fact you seem to have forgotten. Look at me. **Look. At. Me.** "

 _Just one, he says..._

Kale looked directly at Frieza and her face drained of all color when he leaned forward and whispered, " _I own you_."

He was close. He was _way too close_. What was he even-

No. No. NO.

"Don't look so frightened, my dear. This isn't going to hurt a bit."

She tried to move away, but he only chuckled briefly and pinned her against the wall. "You aren't going anywhere," he added, "And you were told not to go back to the healing tanks just yet, so I suggest you cooperate."

Shaking, she shut her eyes, and lowered her head as he made short work of the lower half of the form-fitting underarmour suit and left it in pieces on the floor. She felt his hand travel back up-and her face lifted with it.

"You aren't going to change a thing by shutting your eyes to it," he said, pressing closer. "Look at me." He waited a moment, and when she didn't obey, wrapped one hand around her throat. And laughed.

Her eyes snapped open and she visibly cringed at the sound, and for a split second she was back on the bridge of Cooler's ship, watching Planet Vegeta be destroyed once again. Listening to his mirth at the destruction. The past mixed with the present, and she heard the sounds side by side. She tried to scream, to make a noise, any noise, but found her voice completely stolen away.

A devious smile stole onto his face and the grip on that delicate throat was loosened completely as he forced himself into her.

The kiss that came afterwards felt like a gift of mercy, as for a brief moment it allowed her to shut her eyes and shut out this misery; but she felt her heart drop somewhere into the neighborhood of her stomach when his hands settled on her hips and he actually started to move in and out of her.

There was silence for a minute or two, until she realized her body was actually responding to Frieza's violation. Then as he drew back from the kiss, she gave a small yelp and bit her lip-hard enough that a trickle of blood made its way down her chin afterwards.

"Oh, come now," he said, breathing only slightly heavily, "There's no need for that." But with a strong inward thrust he noticed something he'd been waiting for, or rather, several somethings. First, the tears she had been trying to hold back were finally flowing, and second, she'd made an involuntary oh sound. Halfway home. And then there was that growing warmth...

One hand slipped to the back of her head, and pushed it down-right into his shoulder, where she kept letting the tears fall. He whispered again, and, trembling, she slipped her arms around him. Her nails clenched at his skin and he found himself groaning in an odd pleasure when they drew blood. Oh, yes, she was _perfect_.

"Enjoying this, are we?" He whispered in her ear, "Go on...make a little noise for me..."

She tried to clamp her mouth shut but he pushed deep, rousting a low moan from her. Smirking at the sudden shamed look on her face, he continued, feeling the excitement rising each time he forced the sound from that throat. And- _oh, yes_ , her grip on him was tightening.

As the feeling started swelling, he lifted her chin and looked briefly at that tearstained face. She didn't look away this time, but quaked at the touch.

 _No_ , she thought desperately, _...no, not with him...I can't, not with Frieza..._

And then the end came-for both of them. He pulled her into a vicelike embrace and an even more unforgiving kiss, keeping them both in silence as the intense fervor swept through.

Only when it had passed completely did he draw back, savoring every second of the afterglow.

"Was that so bad?" He paused, grinning when she didn't protest. "I thought you'd enjoy it."

He stepped back and looked over his handiwork. She was nearly hyperventilating in a frantic attempt to avoid breaking down further in front of him; staring wide-eyed at nothing; and shaking like a leaf. And when she finally did look up at him, it was with the kind of terror in her eyes that was almost as fulfilling as actually ravishing her-an expression which repeated with an added flinch when he looked at her again as he left the room.

The second he was gone she went straight into the sparring room showers and stripped down. But no amount of scrubbing could banish that scent in her nose or the sounds he'd forced out of her from the corners of her mind.


	2. Pavlov

Cleaning...cleaning that up...Kale was just very glad she was alone, because she nearly choked when she finally finished the shower. She smacked her head against the hard tile wall four or five times, then beat at it weakly with her fists, still fighting back tears. Her skin was red, scrubbed nearly raw which didn't help the pain as she changed into one of the spare underarmor suits in the storage nook by the showers-sitting down, because her legs wouldn't stop shaking.

 _It could've been worse. He could've killed you._

She ignored that thought, and sighed as she started to towel off her hair. As she walked back out to the main room to slip back into her armor, it flashed through her mind again. His scent, mingling with hers, the tears, the taunting, the...

...the sound of her own pleasure...

 _I didn't enjoy that._

 _You must have, or you would've fought him._

 _If I had...had fought him, he would've killed me for sure._

 _You really are turning into a Cold family lapdog..._

* * *

A few hours later she was back on the station, and had nearly reached her quarters when Captain Ginyu rushed out of his team's common room across the hall. "Hey, Kale! You mind coming in here a minute?"

Every fiber of her being wanted to say no, but "Sure." came out anyway, and she headed on in.

There was a large box on the coffee-table over by the computer screen and she was about to ask questions when Ginyu pointed her over to it. "I know it's kind of sudden, but I didn't have time to plan anything out. Looks like the red tape managed to finally-"

"Captain! Don't ruin it for her!" Burter said, "We all know you regret being unable to make a party of it. You can always do that later."

"No," Kale replied, "Please. I've had enough excitement what with the movie and all. I'll just go ahead and open it." She pulled the lid off the box, and felt her stomach drop somewhere into the neighborhood of her feet. A suit of armor-of the kind worn in Frieza's army-and a blue underarmor suit to go along with it.

"They finally got around to getting you your own armor!" Ginyu said, "Now you don't have to worry about being hassled for wearing Lord Cooler's armor. Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, it's...thank you. I didn't think I was going to get any of this stuff, you know, since I'm not...I'm not a permanent transfer." And thank the gods I'm not...

"Aren't you going to put it on?" Jeice piped in from the corner.

"In front of you perverts?" Kale asked, "I'd sooner shave my head." She went to the bathroom, and felt sobs threatening to erupt as she slipped on the new underarmor suit. Wasn't it enough for him to violate her? Couldn't he be satisfied with that? Was it really necessary for him to mark his territory as well? She took a brief look in the mirror and then headed back to the common room.

"You're practically family now!" Ginyu said, grinning like an idiot. "Hey-hey Burter, set us up with a timer on that datapad, I want a picture of all of us."

"I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb. It's really not necessary! I don't even have the-"

"Ginyu Force! Assemble!"

Sighing, she took a deep breath and as the rest of them posed, she took a spot in front of Recoome, behind Guldo and tried to mirror the pose Jeice was doing.

 _CLICK_

They all crowded around the datapad a second later, and after it had been sent to all their personal folders, the comments started.

"You copied me, you bloody monkey!" Jeice barked, "What the hell was that about?"

"Symmetry!" Ginyu answered for her. You know, kind of like the other pose we do with Burter and Recoome on either side. Now, see, Kale, you're getting the hang of being one of us already!"

"Yeah," she said quietly, "Too bad I won't be staying." Too bad you won't be leaving SOONER.

"I could always talk to Lord Frieza about it."

"No! No...no, asking him for favors, it-I'd really rather not put you to that kind of trouble. Besides, he's probably getting tired of looking at a monkey every day on set as it is. I wouldn't want to...anger him. Now...now, ah, is anyone up for a trip to the bar?"

 _That's not going to help you forget._

* * *

"An' he just...he just...damn it all...what was I even sayin'?" Kale stumbled back down the hallway, leaning heavily on Ginyu-who was, unfortunately, the only completely sober one in the group at the moment.

"You were saying that Lord Frieza broke your femur," Ginyu replied, trying to guide her steps a bit better, "And you almost died."

"I'm shurprised she isn't dead," Recoome said. He was behind them, using a combination of leaning against the wall and, when he swayed, leaning against Burter to stand up straight. "When hesh got a mind to, Lord Frieza can...he can really...he can really mess you up, when hesh...ugh, someone turn that light off!"

"There is no light, you fruit loop...well there'sh a whole bunch of lights..." Jeice was bent almost double, and had his hands firmly on Guldo's shoulders to stop himself from falling over.

"We should...we should blow them up," Kale muttered, "Teach them to put lightsh in places like this..."

"Settle down," Ginyu said, "We can destroy things later. Guldo, how you holding up?"

"I'm seeing octuple," came the short reply, "And I have an idiot on my back. How the hell do you think I'm doing, Captain?"

"Guldo, you're no fun when you don't get completely hammered," Jeice said, patting him on top of the head, "You oughta swing a few more back."

"Unlike the rest of you, I like being able to use my feet."

"Do you really want a psychic to get thatsh stinking drunk?" Kale asked, "Smart guy there, Guldo. They should be...they should...oh, here we are..."

"Men, get on into our common room," Ginyu said, "I've got to help Kale back into her room."

"Yeahhh...help her...that's a great idea, Captain...might get shomething out of it..." Recoome said.

Ginyu sighed, and opened the doors to Kale's quarters. He helped her in and onto the small sofa on one side, and then glanced briefly down at her. "Are you going to be alright by yourself?"

"I'll be fine."

"You sure?" Ginyu stood quietly watching her. It was obvious that something was really eating at her, and the fact she'd had a few dozen too many didn't help either. Had one of the others said something to her at the bar, he wondered?

"I'm sure," Kale replied, looking back up at him. "Just got to...to sleep it off...but...but thanks. Thanks for asking."

He left, and stumbling, she went over to the computer to see if she had any messages. Junk, junk, armor cleaning service ad, junk, junk...

And then there was a sudden bing and Salza's face appeared on the screen.

 _Oh, hell, not now. This is the LAST THING I NEED right now...!_

"Kale? What the hell is wrong with you right now?"

"I'm DRUNK, Salza, what does it look like?"

"What, by yourself?"

"No, you ass, I was out with the Ginyu Force. Why would I drink alone?"

"With them?! Why are you out with them? You're there to work, not...not..."

"Salza, I wasn't aware you cared. Going to lecture me now about how bad this is for me?"

His only response was a growl and to hang up. She huffed and rose unsteadily, grumbling about how attached he still was. Couldn't he wait until she got back to start playing possessive? It wouldn't be that long. Or not. After...Frieza...it was going to be difficult for her to even look at _herself_ nude, much less someone else.

But the desire to clean up again hit, and she went with it, once more scrubbing her skin nearly raw.

If you even plan on letting him near you ever again.

She sat toweling off her hair on her bed, with another towel wrapped tightly around her chest. At least...at least there were no lasting marks on her skin. She'd be going back in a month or so. 45 days, tops. She could last another 45 days, right? Right. She'd withstood worse pains than this. This was completely doable.

 _Make a little noise for me..._

She cringed, and scuttled under the covers, pulling them over her head. After a moment of silence, of listening...of waiting...she finally felt safe. Nothing was going to happen to her. No one was in here with her.

* * *

"Kale! Wake up!"

She bolted up, and froze when she realized it was morning. "Computer! TIME!"

"The time is 0800."

"PISS!" she snapped. "Damn it, damn it, damn it...hang on a minute, Ginyu! I overslept!"

"You were supposed to be in the docking bay an hour ago!"

"I know! I know!" she pulled on the new underarmor suit and her boots and headed out the door still trying to get into the armor. "Thanks for waking me, you're a lifesaver!"

Two hours later, she was an hour and a half late and after she got through makeup the director was very clear about his displeasure. "Do you have any idea how ticked this is going to make him? Don't you have any consideration for what the rest of us have to put up with? You're lucky no one's been killed!"

"He's not going to kill anyone today," she said, "Now tell me, is the scene the same?"

"Yeah, yeah. We were going to try that pre-fight scene since the light was just right, but you were late, so we can't." The director glanced around, and then motioned to every to take their places around a long table.

The scene called for various officers to sit on the sides of the table, with Frieza at one end and Kale at another. It was one of their early meetings in the movie, and involved her character coming forward as a potential planet buyer. Frieza, as, well, himself, was to hold a conversation with her to gauge her as a potential buyer. And to see if he could judge her intentions.

"Alright, places, everybody. Places, places." The director whispered a few directions to one of the cameramen, and then-on the cameras went.

Everyone at the table raised and then lowered a wine glass.

"So...Ruta, was it?" Frieza asked, looking down the table at her. "I've heard you're in the market for a world of your own. If it weren't in terrible taste I would laugh."

"Laugh if you wish. I have. A sense of humor will save the psyche more often than anything else."

"An interesting point of view, and one I fully agree with. I laugh as often as possible. For one, your reason, and for two..." here he paused, gesturing briefly with his chopsticks in an indecisive manner, "...for two, well..."

"It frightens your enemies," Kale added, finishing the sentence for him. "You are the heir to an empire. Laughter from you can only mean bad things for your enemies."

"Not just my enemies. You'd be surprised what it can do to an underling whose head is a bit swelled."

"I'm certain...now, if we may move on to matters of actual substance. I am in the market for a planet. Something with mainly warm, humid weather."

"I don't recall saiyans being the type to enjoy that sort of an environment."

The conversation went on like that for a while, with the minions on either side of the table chiming in occasionally. Frieza's job was to steer the conversation towards the Ruta character's motivations, and he did so in spades, with his final question being, "You didn't know about the meteor until after the fact, did you?"

"Yes...it was...unexpected. There were questions, of course-and, for some reason, an accusation leveled at you. You were in the neighborhood, as it were."

"But you wouldn't dream of implying it was me, would you?"

"Of course not, Lord Frieza."

"Alright, cut! Listen, that was great. Good work everyone. Food looked good on camera, the conversation went perfectly-I want you all to break for an hour while we get the set changed over to the hallway scene."

* * *

Six hours later, Kale was finally out of makeup and back in her armor, and quietly headed down the hallway, thinking she might get some training in. What with all the movie excitement, going out with the Ginyu, and...well, the incident, she hadn't gotten a lot of good solo time. She took a deep breath as she walked into the second training room and was halfway through her warmup exercises when she suddenly tripped. The impact on her hands was minimal, but the second that small pain hit, her heart started racing.

She stayed there, on her hands and knees, struggling to breathe normally as she broke out into a cold sweat. "What...what...come on, Kale...come on, you're fine..."

 _Got to run. Got to get out of here._

She bolted up, swaying as a wave of dizziness hit her like a ship falling from orbit. Leaning against the wall, she moved as quickly as she could out of the room in an utter panic.

 _Get out. **GET OUT**. Have to get out. Can't be in there._

She bolted down the hallway and had just turned a corner when she nearly ran into-

No. No. No no no no no no no.

Frieza stood before her, and suddenly, it all made sense. Frieza. The training room. The...

"Oh. Hello..." he said politely. "Did you want to spar again?"

"No..." she said, starting to walk past him, "No, I...I believe I've lost my taste for it. Excuse me."

He smiled, and in an admonishing tone added, "That wasn't a suggestion."

There was no reply to that except silence. Mutely, she followed him back down the hallway.


	3. Gaslight

Author's Note: More noncon here.

* * *

The movie was, thankfully, nearly done.

The director was singing Kale's praises and expert acting, particularly scenes where she was displaying her villainous potential. Every line of intent about Frieza's murder, every vow of revenge, every curse, was met with compliments. And a female villain-after a string of men, that was more vicious than her predecessors? He was certain that this could only go right as far as profits went. Post-production was going well, and her part in it all was done.

Two months...two months she'd been afraid of seeing him around every corner, and two months she'd been praying for this all to be over. And he never seemed to have a definite pattern. The first times were two days in a row. Then he'd left her alone for nearly a week before "inviting" her to the training room once again. There was a two day break, then another three days in a row, and so on. But what surprised her most about it all was the numbness with which she was responding to it.

It simply didn't hurt her anymore. It was something he would do. And she would be leaving soon, anyway. He would never be able to do it again, right? There would be no lasting reminders of it except in her own mind. It would be difficult, but she could recover from it-she did so after the trauma with Planet Vegeta, and she could do it now.

You are a saiyan after all. You can survive anything.

Shockingly, he was nowhere to be seen that evening after filming. She got back to the station without incident, and slept with the lightest heart possible. She was finally going home.

* * *

After a short breakfast, she checked her messages, and just as she thought, the order was there. She was to report back to Cooler's army the next day. Grinning, she immediately started packing-not that she had a lot to pack, of course, she just wanted to be ready to go the second she woke up the next morning. Get up, grab bag, and go. Who cared if she missed breakfast that day-hunger was a small price to pay for getting away from the man who'd made her planetside time a living hell.

I can stop worrying. It's all over now. It will be fine, she kept telling herself.

The Ginyu Force seemed not to be around, and their quarters were locked, so she headed back to her quarters and went over her messages again. There were a few from Salza-nothing major, just mentions of how glad he'd be to have someone with reason around again; a few random junk mail messages; and a few notices from the bar about the tab she'd left. A quick trip to the bar, and that was settled-and she was able to get a farewell pint as an added bonus, so she was grinning by the time she came back down the corridor.

Ginyu was standing in front of the common room door, and when he saw her coming, motioned her over. "I just wanted to say, I'm sorry I couldn't do this sooner. I mean, I just found out about it this morning."

"What do you mean?"

The door opened, and-

"SURPRISE!"

She froze-and then thought, of course he'd do this. He threw parties for any reason, and sometimes no reason. It made sense for him to do something like this to send her off.

"We thought this was only proper," Ginyu said, coming in behind her. "Men?"

"Right!" Guldo added. "I'm glad if for no other reason than you don't make me the butt of any of your jokes, unlike some people I know."

"Plus, Burter finally has someone who can drink him under the table. It's hilarious watching him wake up in the morning with a massive hangover only to find out that it was for nothing because he still didn't win."

"Yet he keeps trying..." Ginyu said. "Now! We've got a few gifts for you. It was, as I said, short notice, so we couldn't exactly get a whole lot done, and gifts I wrap tend to end up lumpy, so..."

"It's... Wow. I just...I've never had a party thrown for me. I guess my leaving tomorrow justifies it, though..."

"Leaving?" Ginyu blinked. Then his and the others' expressions shifted.

"Not telling her, one two three not it!" Recoome called out. A chorus of 'not it's' followed that one, ending with Jeice's.

A creeping cold made its way up Kale's spine. They couldn't possibly mean what she thought they meant. No, no, it was all just an elaborate joke, like the one she'd helped Guldo set up that ended with covering everything in Burter's room in wrapping paper.

Ginyu was unamused, to put it lightly. "Really! You can't just come out and say it? It's not like you're telling her she's going to be executed!"

"Captain, just...just tell me. What's going on?" Kale was trembling a bit now, still praying he wasn't going to say what she was already hearing in her mind.

"Well, it's like this...you're staying."

There was utter silence for only a moment, but it was the longest of her life. "But..." she started, "But I have the orders in my message system. Lord Cooler is expecting me to return tomorrow."

"Well," Ginyu said, "I have it on good authority that _those_ orders will be countermanded very shortly, if you catch my drift."

No. No. No, please. Please tell me they're joking. They're going to start laughing any minute now and tell me that I'm going home right on schedule.

But they didn't. They were watching her without any sign of joking. No smiles. No laughter. But they were unaware of her private torment. She could put on a mask for them-at least for now. So after taking a moment to compose herself, she pasted a smile on and asked, "And who told you about this? I mean, for it to be snuck in like that."

"You can probably already guess who's responsible. I guess your performance in the movie must've impressed Lord Frieza-"

 _Yeah...your performance was probably it, alright, just not the kind he's talking about..._

"-because he mentioned it to me in passing when he arrived on the station a few hours ago."

"You mean he's here? Now?" She burst out. The cold sweat was already starting, as if to say, 'the hell with you, the hell with the mask you're wearing, and the hell with this whole charade!' Her heart started to race, and she was on the verge of edging toward the door when she heard it open.

She turned to look-and there was Frieza, seated in his hoverchair, with Kuriza on his lap.

"Yay! I didn't miss anything!" The young one burst out. "I brought you something, too!"

The Ginyu knelt reflexively, as did Kale, but after a moment all rose again.

Kuriza leapt from the chair and onto the floor, waving a little envelope. "Open mine first!" He said, "I hope you like it."

"Yes, he worked very hard on it, after you helped him through that...difficult point," Frieza said, "I had no idea that you were so capable at making him understand the way things work. You're quite... talented, aren't you?" And there, he gave her a look dripping with smugness.

She refused to answer that, and instead turned her attention to the envelope. It contained a predictably childish drawing-of her holding him above a snarled black mass of what appeared to be smoke with eyes. "It's very good, Kuriza. You're sleeping better now, right?"

He nodded enthusiastically in reply.

"Lord Frieza, if you don't mind my asking," Ginyu said, once Kuriza had run off to have a go at the cake, "Why have you decided to give us the honor of a visit?"

"I was going to...break the news to our new soldier, but I see that you've done that already."

"I apologize, Lord Frieza! I had no idea that you-"

"No need to worry, Ginyu. No harm done."

The party went on, but Kale stayed by the punch table nearly the whole time, trying not to break down while appearing to still have a good time. Kuriza was sitting with the Ginyu across the room. And Frieza-

"You know," his voice sounded off beside her, almost gently, "Drinking is not going to solve _any_ of your problems."

"Not now. Just...just, please, not now."

"You don't seem to grasp the situation too well," he said. He slipped her a napkin, which had a note folded into it.

Kale took a deep breath, and unfolded the note, which read: _Be in my station quarters at 2300 hours_. She took a second breath, and asked, "But...but what about...?"

"He will be spending the night here, with the Ginyu Force," Frieza replied. "I'm glad you show such concern for him. Your service is well appreciated."

 _I'm sure it is._

* * *

Thankfully, there were no guards outside his door, and very few grunts roaming the halls. Kale got there without any incidents, but felt her heart rate climbing as she tapped the door panel and walked in. Also ignored was the small dinner that appeared to be set out, and she didn't even dare to look in the bedroom's direction.

She was just turning back from glancing in the empty kitchen area, thinking that of course he'd send everyone else away, when he stepped out from the bathroom, absolutely radiating smug satisfaction.

"How good of you to show up," he said, gesturing to the table. "Please...take a seat."

Kale did so in compete silence. The spread of food was nice, at least...so she kept her eyes on that.

Frieza took a seat at the other end of the table, and glanced down at her with a look of false concern. "You look ...ill."

"You know damn well why I look ill," she said, still not looking up at him. "Why are you doing this to me?"

He filled his wine glass. "Because you wanted me to."

" What?! No! I don't! I never did!"

"You really should eat," he said, before adding, with a smile, "You gave me a different impression."

" How?!" She burst out, before turning her attention to her own glass of wine. He was going to lose it, she just knew it...she was as good as dead.

"Well, there was the staring on the first day of shooting," he said, "Every time I turned around your eyes were on me."

Kale was momentarily silent as she finished a mouthful of food. He had her there, of course-she did remember thinking his final form was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, but...

 _Admiring something briefly doesn't mean I asked for its attention. I stopped staring after that first fight._

"And then, of course, the flirting when I was beating you into the ground," he said, "You saiyans are famous for doing that."

"I was told to anger you! I thought that was the best way to do it!" She said quickly, before going back to the food. Her heart was already threatening to leap out of her chest. He wasn't right. She hadn't asked for this.

"...and not once have you tried to fight me over it. Think...have you ever even tried to tell me no? Ever tried to fight me off? Ever tried to run? That was all you had to do, you know. Just say no to me. But you never did."

"Anyone who says no to you tends to die," she said, going back to the wine. "You have to concede that point."

"On some points, yes. But you have always had that option. Even that first time. You ducked away out of fear of me only once, but did you offer any further resistance? And, need I remind you of those noises you were making?"

She went silent once again and started eating, being very careful not to meet his eyes. No. No, she hadn't fought him, but...but...what other choice did she have? ...had she had a choice?

 _You had a choice then, as you did when you murdered your father. You chose not to die on your feet, but to live on your knees. And then you chose to open your legs. Was it worth it?_

They finished out the dinner in relative calm. The second she finished, though, she headed over to the window, sipping on a fourth glass of wine. He wasn't far behind, however, and she could feel his impatient stare.

 _Give him what he wants. It'll keep you alive...and isn't that what's most important to you?_

 _I...I can't just..._

 _You might as well enjoy it, if you're going to do it. It's only sex, after all. It's over quickly, you can handle that, can't you?_

The tears were running before she could stop them and she was about to turn back when she felt him take her hand. She turned to look at him, and Frieza brought it up to his lips, prompting a guilty look from her.

 _Game, set, match_. He thought, wiping a few of her tears away. _My dear, you took a while, but you were certainly worth conquering_.

He lead her into the bedroom, and was only momentarily discouraged when he felt her trembling. It was easily fixable, he would just have to be a little patient.

Kale took a deep breath when he stepped in front of her. She could do this. It was only sex.

 _Just relax. It's going to happen, you might as well enjoy it. Just tell yourself that you want it._

He took a step closer, and leaned in-

-her heart skipped a beat, and then, after what felt like an eternity, their lips met.

It was gentle, and she returned it, choking back what was left of her fear and self-loathing. Then it deepened, and she felt him tugging at her armor. There was a brief parting while she pulled it off, and Frieza couldn't help but smirk.

She found it surprising when he pulled her down onto the bed-on top of him, but cringed when his hands wandered south, over the scar where her tail had once been. Once more she bit her lip, once more it bled, but this time he kissed away the bloody trickle and licked the remnants off his own lips.

Then he slipped off the lower half of her under-armor suit-inwardly cursing that these mammalian women had those disgusting breasts as he pulled off the top half as well-and pushed both himself and her into a sitting position, with her perched carefully atop him.

 _It's going to happen. Stay calm._

"Why so nervous, my little monkey?" he smirked, slipping one hand into her hair and pushing forward so that her forehead touched his. "I can be gentle, if you ask nicely."

"..." she took a moment to summon the courage, and then said, "No."

"No...ah, I haven't heard that word from you yet, and I don't think I like it."

He couldn't help but snicker at the involuntary shiver that came in response, then turned them around, shoving her down onto the bed beneath him. She cringed, and he tried not to laugh again at the rush of elation.

 _Stay calm...just let it happen..._

"Look at me. And keep your eyes open."

 _Not again, please, don't-_

But she looked up anyway and gave off a cringing gasp when he pushed in, allowing her heat to fully envelop him. She was silent, but the red blush on her face told him all he needed to know. However much she hated it, however much she wished it weren't happening-her body was still responding to it.

Once more she was forced to be grateful; as he kissed her, allowing her to shut her eyes. Almost involuntarily she slipped her arms around him, and to silence the sounds he seemed determined to drive out of her with his mad thrusting, clutched as before at his skin.

Then, suddenly, it stopped completely. He drew back, smirking, and once more took a firm grip on her hair-but this time pulled her head to the side, exposing her neck.

"Oh, look," he said with a smile, "You're bleeding."

"But I-ahhh-" Kale took a sharp, pained inhale as his nails dug into her neck. When he finally released his grip nearly a minute later, she took in a deep, ragged breath when blood began welling up. She was reaching up to clean it off when he swatted her hand away.

"No...allow me." He leaned down and started to lick up the blood, slowly, pausing when he felt her tense up. Bingo.

It _burned_. That was all she could think-it was burning at her skin, flaring outward from that damp, bloody area and reaching everything it could. She tried pulling away, but his grip on her hair only tightened, prohibiting any movement.

When the blood was gone, he pushed himself up, absolutely relishing the humiliation written all over her face. "Why don't we...stop playing this game...hmm?"

No response.

"Very well." He smirked, bringing one finger directly under her chin and charging up a tiny ki ball. It brushed her skin, paining it only slightly, but she tensed at the thought. He was going to kill her, wasn't he? He was finally going to end it all. Would he really be so merciful?

"Now beg for it."

In the end, she did. He'd continued, pushing her slowly, agonizingly, to that final point-she'd given a cry, joined shortly by a grunt from him-and then they had both relaxed. One exhausted and choked up from the fight she had lost once again, and the other bathing gleefully in the warm glow of a job well done.

* * *

Kale hadn't had the wherewithal to leave-the wine and the intensity of the situation had left her unable to walk a straight line, and she sure as hell wasn't going to make a bunch of byzantine turns to get back to her quarters. So he'd kept her there, curled carefully up to her (for the body heat, she later learned, due to his reptilian needs), and that was how she spent the night.

Her eyes snapped open sometime the next morning, and she sat bolt upright just in time to get hit by a wave of dizziness. Groaning, she looked around the room, and found the bottom half of the underarmor suit, which she quickly pulled on.

 _I can't believe I...I let him...again..._

 _Not only let, but begged. You must have wanted it badly to do that._

 _I didn't want it at all, but if I hadn't..._

 _You had the chance to end it. Why didn't you?_

"Oh, good, you're up."

She glanced across the room where Frieza stood leaning against the wall, now back in his first form.

"I hope you slept well."

Kale didn't look up and instead finished dressing.

"You can't just keep ignoring it," he said, "And besides, we need to have a little talk about what happened."

"It happened. It won't happen again," she snapped.

"Do you really believe that?" he asked in a cavalier tone. "I don't suppose you remember our little bet from that second fight?"

"I didn't cry. You lost it."

"I said that you had no idea how much easier I could make your life. And I still can."

"I'm going to guess that there's a price." She was still refusing to meet his eyes, and sat with her face in her hands. Why did this have to keep happening? There must be plenty of women willing to share his bed. Why was he so intent on making _her_ the target and caretaker of his lusts?

"You catch on quickly. It's not much, really...you stay here just like any other soldier. Except you have my favor, and all you have to do is exactly what you did last night, whenever I should happen to be here. Otherwise? Your work is as if nothing was going on. That's as fair an offer as you're going to get."

"And if I refuse?"

"You won't refuse me. You're far too fond of your own hide."

 _Well, let's add that to your list of sins...become a whore? Check._

"Really, I consider myself a fair man..." he added as she stepped past him. "You're the one deliberately making this a difficult situation."

As she embarked on the walk of shame out his door, he could only laugh. She was the last female of her race. What a delightfully rare pet...


	4. Ownership

Kale wasn't sure whether to be more relieved or worried about the fact that she felt no need to scrub her skin raw anymore. Her morning shower went by and she changed into her under-armor suit without having to wince at a burning sensation, there was no questionable redness...just normal skin in the mirror.

 _You're getting used to it._

There was a pause, as she kept her gaze directly in the mirror. She struggled for an answer, but there wasn't one. There weren't even any words to form.

 _Dare I say, even...enjoying it._

Kale growled, and punched the glass, which shattered into pieces. Several stuck in her hand, but she hardly noticed the blood as she seethed. That wasn't true. What sane woman could possibly enjoy being repeatedly violated like that?

The stinging in her hand brought her back to reality, and she plucked the bits of glass from it before rinsing it off and bandaging the lacerations up. That, she could handle. Bruises, large open wounds, blood loss-those things were _easy_ to deal with compared to the psychological assault of this whole situation.

 _Ding, dong._

She growled again and stormed over to answer the door."What?!"

A messenger stood there with a box in his hands, and appeared to be ready to ask a question, but on sight of her bloody fist merely handed her the box and immediately left.

She took it back to the desk and sat down to look over it before opening it. Inside, there was...a diamond bracelet? The uniform rows of tiny square diamonds made her feel...uneasy, and for a moment she wondered precisely what it was. It seemed too long to be a bracelet...

 _You know what it is._

That was when she saw the note in the lid of the box. It had only three words, scrawled in an all-too-familiar handwriting: Put it on.

 _He knows what it is._

Kale put it around her neck with shaking hands, trying not to think about it. To call it a choker would hardly do it justice. And in any case, he certainly didn't mean it to be just a piece of jewelry. No...no, it was simply another way to display exactly who was in control here.

 _You know a collar when you see one, don't you?_

 _Ding, dong_

"Come in," she said, quickly putting the box away. This would be easy enough to explain away to any inquiring minds. It was a gift. No, that wouldn't do...perhaps it would be better to say that she bought it herself. She'd never been prone to actually buying anything of beauty, though...

And then she heard footsteps. His footsteps.

 _No. No. Please, not now. Please...maybe I'm just hearing it wrong. He's not there. He's not behind me._

"I see you received my little gift," Frieza remarked softly. "Do you like it?"

She didn't reply and looked down at her clenched fists. He would go away. If she just ignored him, he'd go away. He was leaving the next day, he probably had a thousand other things to take care of.

"I'll take that as a yes. Now...stand up."

 _No. No, please. Not that tone of voice. Please tell me he's not-_

"Let's play a game." Behind her, he held up a silver coin. "Heads...or tails?"

She stood with her back to him, heard the coin ring as he flipped it, and could almost _feel_ every turn it made in the air. With a gentle thump it landed in his palm-and then he slapped it against the back of his other hand. "Oh, look there...tails."

 _No, just...just..._

As his arms slipped around her she took in a sharp breath. Not again. Not again. Why couldn't he just-

"See, it looks beautiful on you," Frieza whispered in her ear, "I couldn't leave my little pet without giving her one of these, now could I? She does have to remember who she belongs to, after all." He stroked it once more, before removing it and placing it carefully on the desk.

 _Stay calm...stay calm...don't make a sound..._

 _You do still have a choice here, you know. Or do you like being his puppet?_

"Turn around."

There was no protest. Kale turned towards him just in time to be backed against the wall.

"Good girl. See, if you were always this cooperative...things would be so much easier than they are. I suppose it will take time for you to learn that particular lesson." He grinned at her momentarily, and then went on. "But enough about that. I have places to be tomorrow, and a lot of preparations to make, so what do you say to enjoying the time that we have?"

"You shouldn't waste time talking about it." It was the first thought that popped into her head and she hoped it would persuade him to be quick.

He laughed in reply, and pressed closer. "Good answer."

 _Keep it together...keep it together..._

She didn't even flinch as he stripped her down (once more, however, he left the top half of the underarmor suit on), and met his eyes once he'd paused to observe her reaction.

 _...it'll be over quicker if you just cooperate._

It didn't stop the shock, however, when he pushed into her with no warning. She inhaled sharply, and tried not to cringe as he leaned in close for a long kiss, which she forced herself to return when he started to really move.

He let her have the moment, but only that, and pushed her head down into his shoulder as he had the first time. "Now this time," he whispered, "I expect you to let me know that you're enjoying this. The last time was good enough, but...I'm sure you can do better."

"Try giving me something worth making noise over, then." She said-and immediately regretted saying.

He smirked fiendishly and coiled his tail around her neck. "If you insist." After a moment's pause he started pushing into her deeper and faster, and as he did so, Kale could feel his tail tightening slowly around her throat. Her hands immediately tried to pull it back down, but he forced them up against the wall.

As breathing got more difficult, the pleasure swelled, until every movement was a new adventure in ecstasy. She tried to look away, tried to shut her eyes, tried to distract herself some way, any way, but there was no escape from it. She was crying out for him just as he wanted her to.

The end came, and rocked her body to the core, leaving her virtually limp in his arms. His tail's grip on her neck was completely loosened as soon as she gave him that final sound, that sign that he had won once more-and almost in response, his end followed.

For a few minutes, there was silence broken only by their heavy breathing. She wasn't looking at him, but for once he didn't care. It didn't matter anymore. He'd made her scream, and that was more than enough.

He grabbed the choker and placed it back around her neck, laughing briefly when she cringed in pain. "Be still, now," he added, "We need that nasty bruise to stay covered up, now don't we?"

"Of course," she replied quietly, "It will fade, of course, but...until then..."

He stepped away, twisting with glee on the inside. Just the way she was standing told him volumes about how broken she was, and he LOVED IT. _Ah, if only I didn't have to leave so soon, my dear..._

She said nothing, redressed, and the second the door opened to let him leave she moved on over to the tiny sofa and collapsed in a heap of tears.

 _What are you crying over? You wanted that, didn't you? You had a choice, and just like the last time, you chose to save your skin. Haven't you got any pride?_

 _I...I can't just...it won't...fighting wouldn't have changed it...Frieza'd have only...he'd have only made it...worse..._

Kale didn't hear the footsteps as the door opened once again-she was too busy trying to rationalize the whole thing to herself. Fighting him would have changed nothing. Cooperating at least made it less painful. And...and he was leaving in the morning anyway. This was all going to be fine. It wouldn't happen again for a while. He was a busy man, after all.

"Kale? Are you alright?"

She froze and looked up to see...Captain Ginyu.

He was stunned into silence for a few seconds as he took in the sight. She was curled into the fetal position, sobbing her eyes out, and...and...

Lord Frieza had just left the room.

It all made sense now. The crying. The sounds he'd heard. The bruising around her wrists. The _collar_. Frieza had been...

She didn't reply as he took a seat next to her, but started shaking-badly-when he touched her shoulder.

"Kale..."

Even through the haze of grief she could see that he was trying to offer comfort, and nothing more, so she sat up, leaning against him as the tears kept flowing.

"It's alright," he lied, patting her shoulder, "You're alright."

The whole story spilled out over the next hour. The violation after she returned to the set post-injury. Being repeatedly cornered by Frieza when she least expected it. And the fear. The overpowering fear. But once that had all come out, she found herself going on to say, "And...and that's where I am now. I'm just...I don't even know what I'm doing. What am I supposed to do? It's...I should've just...giving in like that, death would've been-"

"I'll have to stop you there," Ginyu said, using a calm tone. "Just remember this, if nothing else. I don't think any less of you for doing what you have to in order to survive. Living to see another day has its price, and sometimes that price can get very steep. We all have to do things we aren't proud of."

She took a deep breath at that, and wiped the last of her tears away. "But...but what am I supposed to...?"

"Find a way to vent," he said, smiling very briefly, "Find something to do. Something to focus on. Make it your life."

* * *

"Father, this isn't the least bit funny." Cooler stood in the conference room, fists clenched. "I did not send her over there to become my brother's plaything!"

Oh, such a familiar argument. And one he'd heard so often...although never from the elder son. It was an interesting turn of events, to say the least. "Now, son," King Cold said, glancing across the table, "When you throw away your toys, you shouldn't be upset when someone else takes them."

"I want my soldier back, father!"

"Cooler, really. Do you want to know why I let your orders be challenged? Do you really want to know?"

"Because he's the favorite, obviously."

"Because he's making me money. His planets are coming along nicely, he has that movie in the works...and you, meanwhile-your army is currently running _in the red_. I'm not the least bit inclined to give anything to someone who's offering me nothing in return."

Cooler growled and stormed out, and from the other side of the room, Frieza smirked. He was _winning_.


	5. Beautiful Boy

It had been a year and some change since that day and Kale was finding it easier than she thought to get used to the new normal. He was there for about a week every month or two, so at least she had time to forget and then prepare for it to happen again. It was always nerve-wracking to wake up and find the notification in her message system that he was on his way, though.

The days in the week preceding his visits always passed quickly, and before she knew it, she was outside his station quarters yet again trying to keep calm. Even walking into the room was triggering, although not as much as it had been before. It was happening slowly, but...she was adjusting.

Kuriza was sitting in the middle of the floor with a bunch of building blocks floating around him. Not the sight she expected to see.

"A bit strange, isn't it?"

Frieza had snuck up behind her to say it, and she managed not to flinch, grateful that this visit wasn't going to turn out like the rest. "Of course it is...how...how is he...?"

"Have a seat. Kuriza? Go on down to say hello to Captain Ginyu. Make sure to surprise him."

 _That didn't take long._

"Alright, papa!" he rushed out-stopping briefly to look up at Kale quizzically, as if he were studying her-with the floating blocks still following.

Kale took a seat at the table, and Frieza took his place at the other end. "I suppose you're wondering why I brought him?" he asked.

"The thought had crossed my mind...along with a few other questions."

"Let's just say, he's your new job."

"Excuse me? I...what? I'm not a nanny, I'm a fighter!"

"You're whatever I tell you that you are," he answered with a smile. "And if you would listen, I would explain." When she didn't interrupt him again, he went on, "Kuriza is fond of you, as he is of the Ginyu Force. I could teach him what he needs to learn, but that would take a lot of time that I simply don't have, and would likely expose him to more incompetency from those around him when I'm not there to instruct him."

"Really, my lord-"

 _I bet he loves hearing you say that._

"-I don't see how this...I mean, I'm simply a monkey, as you would say. You've never trusted them, so what makes me any different?"

When he smirked, she sorely regretted asking the question. There was so much he could have said that he was showing with that one simple expression. But he finally said, "You've shown yourself to be more trustworthy than the others of your race. You get along with the Ginyu Force. Kuriza likes you. After you spent that time calming him down, he could talk of nothing else for days. And most importantly..."

 _Dear god, no._

"...we'll be seeing a lot more of each other."

"I...I don't have room in my quarters to house him," she said quickly, "I mean, he-I..."

"You're simply terrible at making excuses," he replied, grinning across the table at her. "That will be fixed very shortly. Your set of quarters will be joined to the ones next door."

"And I stay...where...until that's finished?"

"You really need to ask?"

 _He has a point there._

"I would think that you would want this kept a secret. If I'm seen staying here, there's going to be talk."

"Everyone already knows. Your quarters, mine, back and forth it's been. And always one of us leaving the other's rooms. I don't see how people could not know at this point."

"I see..." she said quietly. No one had mentioned it to her. But perhaps Ginyu had told the guys not to. And it wasn't as if she spent a lot of time talking to the grunts on board, either...but how could she not have heard about this?

 _Well? How does it feel knowing that everyone is aware of your trysts with him?_

"Don't look so upset. Now. He'll need a little educating as far as fighting goes-he hasn't got the gift for it that I have, sadly."

 _Plus it'll teach the little brat how to fight your kind. Clever._

"And you're alright with that?"

"Of course I'm not. That's what you and the Ginyu Force are for. If you can't help him improve, there's little hope for him."

 _You bastard...you **bastard**..._

"When did he start...?"

"Only recently. That tends to happen with my race, though, or at least, my family. Around this age, any...exaggerated strengths tend to flare up for the first time. That's another reason I brought him here; Guldo will be able to help him learn to control these abilities."

 _You are sitting here having an ordinary conversation with him. Hello? You still there? Going to keep pretending everything is hunky-dory?_

"That sounds like a good plan. Guldo could use the company. Now...if...that's all, I should go tell all of them the news."

 _Let me go, let me go...don't say anything else..._

"Not quite all," Frieza said, producing that same silver coin again. He'd used it nearly every time he'd spent time with her over the past year and it was always nerve-wracking when it came out.

"You're kidding. You're kidding, right?" He couldn't not do this for simply one day?

"Do I look like I am?" He flipped the coin, and then leered at her from across the table when it landed. "Heads. Lucky you, this will be over quickly."

 _At least I don't have to look at him..._

* * *

"Wow, really?" Kuriza looked up at her, grinning. And despite herself, she grinned back.

"Yup. Your father wants you to learn how to fight better, and a whole bunch of other things, so you'll be staying with me. You'll be spending a lot of time with the Ginyu Force, too."

"Yay! But...they're cutting a big hole in the side of where you live so they can fix it up for me. Where do you live until then?"

"With you and your father. It won't be for long, a few days, perhaps." She wasn't looking forward to it, to be honest, but she did have hopes that his son being nearby would quell Frieza's appetite at least a little. If not, well...it was only once a day, at most. She could deal with that.

 _You keep thinking that-you'll be swallowing more than your pride._

"Yay!" he jumped up again. "But...but you're scared of him. Won't that be bad for you?"

"Everyone's scared of your father, Kuriza. He's very strong. Remember what he does to people who do things he doesn't like?"

"But you do what he wants, and you're still scared of him. Why?" His head tilted, then he asked, quietly, "Does he hurt you?"

 _He can't possibly know. This isn't natural. No one would have told him anything. Frieza certainly wouldn't have..._

 _You don't suppose his...abilities...have manifested so far as to...?_

"No, Kuriza, he doesn't."

"Okay," he said, smiling briefly. "Papa said I'd be eating with the Ginyu Force tonight and then you'd be coming back with me. Is that okay?"

 _You are too innocent to be his child_ , Kale thought, looking down at that trusting face, _It's too bad that you won't stay that way...not under his influence..._

 _If you're so worried about that, why don't you do something about it? Turning the boy against his own father would be quite a victory, would it not?_

 _And likely get us both killed..._

"That's fine," she said, nodding as she heard a knock at the door. "You've had Ginyu's cooking before, right?"

Kuriza wrinkled his nose. "Yes."

* * *

He sat in her lap through the entire meal, and despite clearly disliking the lump of near blackness Ginyu was trying to pass off as flambéed chicken, and the indescribable mass he called beans, had nothing negative to add to the rest of the team's remarks. He praised it just as Kale did, and ate everything served to him.

"So, how are you liking this place, knowing it's your new home?" Ginyu asked.

"I like it better knowing you're all here. Papa is no fun at all, and he won't talk to me much because he's busy a lot. He says I'll be seeing a lot of Mr. Guldo."

"Ha, ha, Mr. Guldo," Jeice said, glancing at him, "Bet you haven't felt that important in a long time."

"Be nice," Kuriza said, "It's not nice to make fun of people like that. Papa said Guldo was the best guy for the job. That means he's automatically important anyway."

"If it weren't for her, I'd say I was his favorite at the moment. But being female makes her the automatic choice." Guldo said, laughing.

Ginyu smacked Guldo, and a half second later Kuriza looked up at Kale. "What's he mean by that? That you're papa's favorite?"

"It means," Ginyu said quickly, "It means that depending on who's done the best job lately, he treats them better. The favorite's the one that gets treated best."

"Oh. I guess that's why she gets to take care of me now?:"

"Yes, that's it. That's it exactly."

Kuriza looked back up at her at that, and for a moment she could swear that she saw suspicion in his eyes. But the expression quickly passed and dinner finished up without another word from the guys, and soon enough they were leaving the Ginyu's common room.

"He was lying, wasn't he?"

"What do you mean?" Kale asked, looking down at him.

"Mister Ginyu."

"Well-no, he wasn't."

She kept up the mask of the lie (despite numerous questions) until, halfway to Frieza's quarters, Kuriza asked another question.

"Will I grow up to be like papa?"

"Do you want to?"

"No." He looked down at his feet. "Papa...papa hurts people...he wants me to do it too, but..."

"But?"

"I don't want to," he said, in a still quieter voice. "But if I don't...he..." There was a sniffle at that, and Kale bent down to pick him up.

"Don't worry, Kuriza. I won't let him do that."

"But he's stronger than you..."

"All he cares about until you're old enough to do that sort of thing is how strong you are. I'll help you get stronger. But, remember-"

"Don't tell papa about this. I know."

Frieza wasn't in his quarters when they arrived, so Kale took Kuriza to his room and put him to bed. As he dropped off, she watched, smiling and stroking his face. How did something so good come out of something so evil?

 _What, so you're going to protect this kid from his father? Suppose he rats on you?_

 _I'm going to help him however I can. And he won't._

 _And how do you know that, exactly?_

After she was sure he was out for the night, she headed back into the main room, where Frieza appeared to be waiting for her.

"He's already asleep, if that's what you're wondering," she said flatly.

"Oh...how did you know?" he smirked.

"I think I know you that well by now."

"Well then...sadly, I can't indulge you tonight. But we'll have plenty of time in a few months."

"...what's happening in a few months?"

"I'm taking a little vacation, and I'll be bringing you with me."

"I'd ask why, but-"

"I need something to do, don't I?" he laughed.

To her own surprise, all Kale could do was roll her eyes. "Where are we going, then?"

"I'll tell you when it's time. It's a surprise. You like those, don't you?"

* * *

"Salza, you're certain you can take this mission on?"

"Without a doubt, Lord Cooler." He saluted.

"And you are aware that if you're found out while trying to capture her and bring her back, that I will disavow all knowledge of the incident? That your...feelings...for her will be blamed?"

"I won't fail. That won't be a problem."

"Good. Now here's the date and time of my brother's vacation. They don't use scouters on that planet, so as long as you're able to steal a pod on the station orbiting it, and avoid attracting attention, all should be well."

All Salza could do was nod as Cooler went on with his instructions. It was nice to finally be able to do something about this. He could only imagine how she was suffering. When they were safely away from the planet, the very instant he had her at a safe distance, he'd tell her...there was no way he'd let her slip away again.


	6. Dirt You Created

Author's Note: My computer has to go in the shop tomorrow so the chapters I was going to post over the next 3 days or so will be put up tonight.

* * *

"But...but..." the grunt backed away. "We both work for King Cold's family-you don't have to-"

"My job's a bit more important than yours," Salza said. With that he cut the grunt down, and tapped into the launching console. All was well-course set...perfect.

 _She'll be back on the ship in no time..._

* * *

"He's not even pretending that nothing is going on anymore...not that he was trying to hide it to begin with..."

Kale was looking over a rack of clothes that had shown up in her quarters about a week before the vacation was supposed to take place. All had been well since she'd left Frieza's quarters-he hadn't visited after he'd left, and it was a relief to know that she would have peace until she arrived on the planet. But still, a whole week of space travel...

 _I have to go to him...honestly, this is just...and now he's DRESSING me..._

She glanced over the rack, sighing. All of it seemed geared toward sunning, or swimming, and strangely, none of it seemed to accentuate her chest. She was curious, but...not enough to actually ask.

 _Did you really just ask yourself that? Are you honestly wondering about his preferences?_

 _No. No, I'm just..._

 _Ding, dong_

"Ugh...come in..." Kale said, walking over to the mirror with one of the sundresses.

Captain Ginyu walked in. "Okay...I think I've explained it in a way that will...ah, keep him from figuring things out. So the kid's all taken care of. What about you, though? Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine," she said, smiling a bit weakly. "Nothing I can't handle. What could I do if I weren't okay with it?"

"I just wanted to be sure.."

"Thanks. Really, thank you. You've got no idea how nice it is to have someone actually care about how I feel about all this."

"It's what I'm here for."

* * *

At least it wasn't an unpleasant week. Kale had forgotten what it was like to really travel-and seeing the sights in space was pretty nice too. A planet here, a station there...it all seemed so vast...and yet, it was being slowly conquered. Bit by bit, the Cold family was staking a claim on everything they could get their hands on.

But like most of the peace in her life, the week passed quickly by and before she knew it she was stepping out into a landing bay.

"Have a pleasant journey?"

The voice belonged to a grunt, and he was busy heading in to get her luggage.

"Oh...yes. Thank you."

"If I may, you're probably going to want to change into something lighter," he said, as he lead her into and down a corridor. "You've probably noticed that it's quite warm out..."

"Yes...I'm going to guess that that's why he likes it here?"

"Something about the perfect temperature without having to worry about any controls failing, yes. Okay, now, let me just show you on the map where you'll be staying..."

 _As she flew off, she thought about the planet. Tropical, but consistent. That explained all the swimwear, at least..._

 _And it'll make you easier to-_

 _No. No. I'm not thinking about that right now._

Kale was glad when she finally saw the villa, and took a guilty moment to observe it. Huge pool...chairs by the pool, good for sunning...and what looked like a few grunts roaming around taking care of things.

 _Oh...I could get used to this..._

 _What, you could get used to being a pampered dog? Because that's all you are right now._

 _If I have to suffer I'm at least going to get something out of it._

She landed by the pool and set down the luggage, which was quickly carried off by one of the grunts. A second showed her to a changing room-after handing her one of the sun dresses.

"Is he even here yet?" she asked.

"Oh, he's here, he's just...ah...waiting, that's all."

"What do you...oh, nevermind." Sighing, she turned to the mirror, and once he'd left, changed out of her armor.

 _Not a pretty sight, is it?_

The dress fit well enough-it was sleeveless, but completely covered the chest, without even a V-neck to make it interesting. It was certainly breezy, though-it came down to just above her knees. What was oddest, though, was how it wasn't tight. She'd gotten so used to the form-fitting underarmor suit, and how clingy it was, that normal clothes were completely foreign now.

 _Maybe he prefers it that way._

Then she felt his power level approaching and against her better judgment, headed outside, where she found him waiting by the pool.

"Well, hello there," He said, smirking. "I see you wasted no time in getting comfortable. How are you enjoying it so far here?"

"It's warm...I...just got here, so I can't exactly say..."

"You like it, though, don't you?"

"Of...of course I do. I'm just not...used to..."

"Well, you should get used to it," He replied, glancing over her. _Oh, you and I are going to have a **very** good time..._

 _He's looking at your legs._

"If you don't mind my asking," she said quickly, trying desperately to get her mind off what was obviously on his, "Why bring me here? Couldn't you...do what you wanted without this hassle?"

 _And now you're worried about HIS...you're finally losing it, aren't you?_

"Well, I certainly could do that," he replied, stepping up behind her and wrapping her in an uncomfortable embrace, "But you've been such a good little pet, I thought I would reward you. But there is one little thing..."

"W...what is that?"

He stepped away, prompting her to let go of the breath she didn't realize that she'd been holding.

"Your hair."

"My hair? What's wrong with my hair?"

"It looks terrible. I'm going to have someone here cut it for you." He hadn't bothered to complain about it before, but like the breasts, he found hair in general repulsive. Not that he'd make her get rid of all of it, of course, he just wanted it cut far enough down that it could be better managed. And less...saiyan-like in general.

* * *

 _Well, here you are._

Kale looked into the mirror, sighing, and brushing at what was left of her bangs. It was more of a boyish cut now-"pixie" as the grunt had called it-and barely spiky at all.

 _So now the list of things he's taken from you is up to...your planet, your sanity-however temporarily, your tail, your right to say no, and now your hair. You look nothing like a saiyan anymore._

 _That was probably the idea..._

"You look much better now," Frieza said from the corner. "I have something for you to put in it, too." He walked over and slid a barrette into her hair, which she snapped closed. A good look at it in the mirror told her all she needed to know-it had his family emblem on it, only to add a feminine touch it had a ring of blue stones around it in a flowery design.

 _Collar...check. Badge of ownership...check._

"It looks good on you. Now..."

"I can hear what you're thinking," she said, standing and turning to face him.

"Oh...I don't think you can..." he replied, pulling her close. "Because if you did, you'd run."

"I don't run from anyone. Not even you."

"Let's test that theory, shall we?"

* * *

The next afternoon Salza steppped, unseen, onto the property. He took out one grunt and then glanced up at the house.

 _Alright, he'll probably have her in a room in the back somewhere, upstairs, more than likely..._

He took a deep breath and went in through the door to the outside pool. Duck one grunt...sidestep around an oblivious second one...

 _...almost there... almost there..._

"Looking for something?"

Salza suddenly stopped cold, and turned to see-Frieza standing right behind him. He immediately moved into a fighting stance, and before Frieza could do the same, Salza blasted him in the face and turned to run.

"Going somewhere?"

His opponent had reappeared in front of him. He growled and swung with his energy blade attack, but Frieza grabbed his wrist, twisted his arm and brought his elbow down hard on Salza's elbow. There was a scream-they could both _hear_ the bone shattering-but before the pain could really even register he got a swift blow in the face that knocked him through the wall and into the next room.

He groaned as he was pulled up by the hair, and went silent as his face was bashed repeatedly into Frieza's knee. Blood was pouring from his nose as he was let go, but before he could even try to get to his feet he found himself lashed in the face and busted through another wall.

Another groan of pain sounded off, but this time Frieza lifted him off his feet with his tail. One kidney shot. Two. Three. There was a smirk, then a stomach punch, and finally, Salza was thrown through one last wall.

Kale jumped when he landed right in front of her but found herself unable to look away. He looked up at her desperately, and-

"Kill it."

She hesitated, feeling a momentary pang as Salza reached up to her.

"K...Kale...I..."

"KILL IT!"

She stretched out her arm and only briefly cringed at the look of horror and despair on Salza's face before blasting him.

"Good girl," Frieza said, glancing over the now lifeless corpse. "I'll reward you for that later...for now, I've got to get someone to clean up this mess."

* * *

"Lord Cooler, we have an incoming message from your brother."

"Onscreen." He sighed.

"Hello, brother. I trust you are well?"

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to tell you that one of your soldiers attacked me...in my own home, while I was on vacation, no less. Salza, I think his name was?"

"I had wondered where he'd gone. He went rogue a few weeks ago and I haven't seen him since."

"Yes, well, he made a mess in the process, so I'm charging the cleanup to your account. Rogue or not, he was still one of yours." And with that, he ended the transmission.

Cooler growled under his breath. One way or another he would see his brother paying for that death...


	7. Nameless Delusion

"I think I'm going to miss the pool the most." Kale was sitting on the steps leading into it, up to her hips in water. It still felt strange to be so comfortable around him, but the only other choices tended to involve madness or death.

 _This should not be normal to you. Just look at you._

"You can't choose that. I already did." Frieza replied. He was seated a step up and had his tail draped absently over her shoulder.

"Fine then...the complete absence of morons." She yawned. "Everyone here seems to know what to do, when to do it, and how long to do it without having to be told every step of the way. I never got that with ship grunts, they have to have orders for everything...I mean, I did too at first, but..."

"But you get one order and you don't ask any questions. You know what's expected of you and you do it. That's why I kept you housed near the Ginyu...they're the same way. Although they're infinitely more...flashy about it."

"That's more a case of Captain Ginyu keeping things interesting for the rest of his men. If you've not noticed, most of their antics are a result of his constant efforts to raise morale. It can get...weird...when he's in a party mood."

"I'm surprised you can stand it."

"He's a nice guy, that's how. My question is, why do you allow all the parties?"

"Most of the...lower ranked soldiers know they could die tomorrow if they make a mistake...and the parties keep them distracted from that fact. It keeps them going long enough to figure out their jobs and...learn how to stop ticking me off merely by breathing."

"When did I reach that point?"

"During filming. Most of my opponents, if they live, tend to start groveling and begging. You...you came back for more."

"That's a saiyan thing. We thrive on challenges, and battle-wise you are the greatest challenge of all."

"Then..." He pulled her a bit closer. "...then I found out what fun you were..."

"...why?" The question surprised her, but came out anyway. "You hate monkies. I'm sure there were others better suited to your...taste."

"You're not the only one that likes a good challenge."

"Most of yours tend to up...dead."

"Yet you are not. You should feel honored."

 _Think about something else...something else...the sun...the water..._

 _The most dangerous man in the galaxy is right behind you and you're about to fall asleep in his arms. This is not the wisest choice you've ever made in your life._

Relax and pretend everything is fine, or go mad. I wonder which one I'm going to pick...and I've made much worse decisions than this to live. I'd say this ranks pretty low.

"Oh, yes, there's one thing I forgot to mention," he said suddenly, "Before you go back, that is."

"What's that?"

"You're going to need to be planetside for a day to attend the premiere."

"It's only just now being...? Why do I have to be there?"

"You were in a starring role," he replied, "You _have_ to be there."

"Fine...it shouldn't take long."

"Until then, however, we still have...one more day..."

 _Safe. I'm safe as long as I keep giving him what he wants._

 _But it still hurts, doesn't it? Pretending you want this isn't going to change the reality._

 _I guess that's right...maybe it's about time I said no._

"And if I say no?"

"You surely wouldn't be so foolish as to refuse me, would you?"

"You did say you liked a challenge." She got up at that and headed back toward the house.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to have a shower."

"Get back here. Now."

 _Don't do it. You're going to regret it._

"Or you'll what?" she smirked back at him, almost relishing the angry expression that briefly crossed his face.

 _You're so going to regret that._

 _It's my no. I have to say yes to him so very often, that a no...I need to say no just to remind myself..._

 _Do you think this is a GAME?_

Oddly, he didn't follow her, or blast her, or anything, and she'd almost forgotten about it when she left the master bathroom with a towel tightly curled around herself.

He was there waiting for her, and at the first chance shoved her against the wall.

"I've been more than generous, and you have been cooperative, up until now. But if you want to...antagonize me...then two can play at that game."

"I wasn't trying to anger you, I was trying to-"

"Don't lie to me," he whispered in her ear, "You're as transparent as the glass in the window. I give and give, and you still want more."

"I-"

"-you _greedy little bastard_. Now...take off the towel." It was going to be an exercise in repulsion for him, but judging by the sudden fear in her eyes, it would be worth it.

She blanched but obeyed-and automatically crossed her arms to cover herself.

 _You're bare. And completely defenseless. And...might I add, you're STILL doing everything he asks._

 _I'm..._

 _You're a pathetic little whore, is what you are._

Suddenly, he struck her across the face and she went staggering along the wall trying to regain her balance.

"Arms down. Now," he said, walking towards her. Again, she wore a look of terror, and again, he felt a rush of satisfaction. This was far more fun than he thought it would be...

She tried to protest, and stopped cold when her back hit the other wall. A corner. She was in a corner.

"You're not going to make me do that again, are you? Because I don't want to. You're giving me no choice but to hurt you."

She lowered her arms, and trembled as he looked over her.

"Was that so bad?" He asked, inwardly recoiling at the sight. "What have we learned, hmm?"

"...not...not to defy you."

"Even playfully. If I want that from you I'll say so. Now...if you are prepared to behave..."

"I am." No. No. Never.

"Turn around and face the wall."

Kale obeyed and winced when Frieza's hands moved down to her hips.

 _Your private no does you little good. This is still happening._

She choked back a groan as he pushed in. I have to remember that no. I have to remember that it's all a fake.

"I don't hear you enjoying this," he said in a low voice, "What have I told you about that?"

As he began to move she gave him what he wanted-she forced those small pleasure moans out. That smirk of his, she could almost hear it forming as a response, but she ignored it, focusing on that one word in her mind. No.

It stuck firmly even as he took her hands and held them against the wall, even as his tail snaked up her chest and around her neck.

But she stood still when Frieza briefly paused to whisper in her ear again. " I have a favor to ask.."

Kale leaned against the wall breathing heavily, and flinched when with his tail he pulled her back, flush against his chest. "...w...what...?"

"I haven't heard you use my name once during these little interludes. I think it's time you fixed that."

And there it is. Your no isn't going to stick around through that..

It will. He's not going to break me like that. I'm going to remember my no if it kills me.

"I can make this as gentle as you want it to be, All you have to do is give me my name."

 _Just give him what he wants. Just do it._

Shaking, she did, but her voice was trembling.

"Didn't quite catch that," he said, pushing a bit deeper and forcing another few sounds out of her.

She said it without a waver this time, and for a moment was relieved, until he added, "Again."

"But-"

"Again!"

She tried not to think of how many times he said that word, but each time his name passed her lips, he kept demanding to hear it again and again.

 _Relax. It'll be done soon._

It was almost over by the time she noticed that his tail was once more tightening around her neck, but she was almost grateful for it. She wasn't looking directly at him, didn't have to look into those accursed red eyes of his-and slipping into that delirium of ecstasy let her forget, even if it was only for a minute or two.

But he slipped his arms around her, holding her tightly as his end and then hers finally struck-holding her as still as he could, compelling that final moan to compensate in volume.

Silence.

Frieza stepped back, grabbing the towel and flinging it over to her. "Now," he said, "I hope you've learned your lesson."

She just nodded as she tied it back on, and forced herself to turn in his direction.

 _If I'd just stayed there, if I'd just..._

 _You wanted your no. That comes with a price. Maybe find a different way to do that next time._

* * *

Kale was almost glad when they left, and even more relieved when they landed again. Just one stupid, ridiculous premiere in an even more ridiculous dress, and she'd be back on the station. She'd be fine. The way he'd explained it was, their small ship would land, she would walk behind him (he, of course, would be in that hoverchair of his), smile a few times for the cameras, watch the movie, and-verbatim, "hopefully leave before the parasites descend and start asking questions."

"Are you done preening back there? We're landing!"

"Yes...yes...I just don't see why-I mean, this dress is just..." she sighed and looked over it in the mirror once again. It was a dark bottle green color and barely reached mid-thigh. As if that weren't enough, though, she'd also been given a pair of silver heels, and-of course, another choker.

"Get up front. And stay close."

Kale took a deep breath as she stepped beside him. The door opened and-

-a thousand flashes went off, one right after the other.

"Walk a few steps. Turn to the left and smile."

The entire walk in went like that, and by the time they actually got into the theater she was rubbing her eyes from all the flashes.

"Well?" he asked, once they'd taken their place in the VIP section. "How did you like your first trip down the red carpet?"

"I don't know how you do it," she replied, still rubbing her eyes. "Why do that many people all need to get a picture?"

"You're brand new. They've never seen you before. And most importantly...you were walking with me."

 _With him. He planned that on purpose, didn't he? Now they're all going to be talking about US._

It was strange, watching the scenes, and then the fight, from the outside. Several times she winced, hardly able to believe that she'd lived through that much of a beatdown.

 _I survived that. I can survive this. This is just another fight._

 _If you think you can survive him and not break, you're insane._

Thankfully, it was over quickly, and she was back in the ship changing into her underarmor suit and armor in no time. Finally. Finally. She'd have a break of at least a few weeks, maybe a couple months if she was lucky.

* * *

Once she was back on the station, and then in her quarters, she realized that she'd made the entire trip from docking bay to her room in silence. She ate, and slept, and the next morning woke feeling...at least marginally better.

 _Ding, dong_

"Come in," she said quietly.

Ginyu stepped into the room and she looked away. No Kuriza. Was this a social call?

"I just wanted to check on you before I let the little guy back in here. Are you...okay?"

"Better now that I'm here. You have...you have no idea what he's like, when...he's got someone alone..."

He took the seat next to her and took a deep breath before speaking again. She looked like the wrong words would set her off into a tailspin of weeping...and, well, he wanted to avoid that. "You're right...I don't. But I know how much a sympathetic ear means when you're at the end of your rope. Maybe not now, maybe not next week, but if you need someone to talk to, my door's always open."

"Thanks..." Kale said, "It...it means a lot. It really does."

* * *

I'd talk to him a couple times over the next few months, and even if I came knocking on his door in the middle of the night I never heard him complain once.

He was just one person. But all the same...he kept me from eating a ki blast more than once.

...life just isn't fair.


	8. Linger

It had been five years.

Things had, for better or for worse, stabilized. Kale hadn't given up completely, but she was...resigned. Frieza didn't come around too terribly often and when he did, as long as she cooperated, he kept his temper...or rather, it improved. She still had time with the Ginyu Force to unwind, and then there was the training she was putting Kuriza through. Overall it was still distasteful, but it had reached a comfortable tolerance level.

Today, of course, she was tending to the duty she preferred-Kuriza. At thirteen, he was now of the right age to be formally introduced to the Court's numerous members, as it was trusted that by now he would have the good sense not to embarrass either himself or his family.

"Meeting a bunch of stuffed up people like papa and grandfather...honestly..." he grumbled as he looked over the caped armor he was wearing, and poked worriedly at the family crest pinned to the left side of the chestplate.

"It won't be for too long," Kale replied, "Just remember to act like your grandfather, pretend you're better than everyone else...and remember, when I finish introducing you..." She was wearing a sleeveless blue uniform dress with buttons down one side, and strangely, it felt almost more confining than the underarmor suit.

"Are you sure this is a good time?" he glanced over at her.

"There's no better time, kid. Think of how proud your father will be."

"I guess you're right..."

"Is he ready?" A horned minion with green hair poked his head in the door. "It's nearly time. King Cold's getting antsy."

"He's ready. Right?"

"Right," Kuriza said, taking a deep breath. "Let's go."

She walked down the hall in front of him and once stepping into the large main room, took her place at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ladies, and gentlemen," she said, glancing out to the crowd, "May I present...grandson of His Highness King Cold, son of Lord Frieza...young Lord Kuriza..."

 _Pause long enough to get their attention..._

"...in his second form."

She looked back to Kuriza and nodded. He raised his hands and clenched them into fists, and grunted slightly as his aura flared. He began to shift-and as the next minute passed, he changed from his previous form to one greatly resembling his father's final form. The redness on his head stayed, however, as did the slight point.

There was a round of quiet applause, and she looked carefully to the forefront of the crowd to catch the reactions of both Frieza and King Cold. The former looked genuinely surprised, and the latter was grinning like an idiot.

Kuriza took a deep breath, and stepped into the crowd, while Kale stood back watching him carefully. He answered questions calmly, kept an even temper...good, it looked as if he would do well.

"How long has this been going on?" King Cold asked.

"A few months. He managed it a few times, but he couldn't hold it for a while until recently."

"This is brilliant! That display of power in front of everyone, it's just what he needed to really hammer in his place as a future successor."

"I knew it would be," Kale replied, bowing briefly, "He's impressed everyone here, perhaps even scared them a bit..."

"Impressed more so than frightened," he replied, "I can see why he chose you for the job. Now..." he headed off to speak to Kuriza, leaving her alone with Frieza.

"Since when did you become so devious?"

"Pardon?"

"You've never been able to keep a secret from me, and yet, here you are unveiling a pleasant one. How did you manage it?"

"I learned from the best." And then, carefully, she turned away to look for Kuriza.

 _You know, I do believe you're starting to like this._

 _I'm not going to think about that right now. This is important for Kuriza._

 _What about what's important for you?_

 _Like it or not, this is my life. I'm going to make the best of it._

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the last whore of her people."

Cooler's voice sounded off behind her, and she turned towards him with an air of disinterest.

"Such language at your nephew's introduction, Lord Cooler," Kale said, bowing briefly. "You should've been at the forefront of the crowd to see him. Your father was quite disappointed."

"I was at the front of the crowd, until the brat was born. And you...I would think that you of all people would have no love for this day. Yet you are his herald."

"Your nephew has been assigned to my care. I take my work seriously."

"I hear that's not all you take seriously." He smirked at her, and lowered his voice. "I hope you enjoy your place in life because you'll never be able to escape it. You're far too fond of yourself to challenge him and far too attached to the boy to leave. Although why, I can't see."

"You wouldn't understand. It's not as if he's yours." She froze in place. Had she really just-?

"Oh, this is precious. I knew you were close, but.." Cooler couldn't help but laugh, before he remembered where he was. "If you want a little bastard so badly you should ask for one."

He walked off before she could respond and left her fuming.

 _So the boy is yours now, is he?_

 _I'm the one caring for him. I'm the one training him. I might as well be his mother._

 _You realize this is exactly what he wants?_

* * *

The rest of the event had gone about as smoothly as she expected, and despite Kuriza's having a massive headache afterwards, felt that it had gone well.

"I told you not to depend too heavily on your abilities to maintain it," she said, handing him a few painkillers and a glass of water once they were on the ship back.

"If I hadn't done that I wouldn't have been able to keep it as long as I did. I'm not like you, I can't stay at a high power level for too long. I'm just not strong enough. I don't have...what's the word...the endurance."

"You will, don't worry! If you're anything like your father-"

Kuriza suddenly stiffened, and turned to give her a cold glare. "I am nothing like my father, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't hint at such things."

"I won't again, but...it's just that, saying things like that..."

"Oh, don't worry, I've no intention of anyone but you overhearing it."

The trip didn't take long, and before she knew it Kale was walking down that familiar hallway.

"Let's see what monstrosity Ginyu's cooked up tonight," Kuriza said, laughing briefly, "It should be about mealtime."

 _Oh, yes, let's check in on Ginyu...remember him? Nice guy?_

Kale shook her head as they entered the common room.

"Hey, look who's back from the big party!" Burter looked over from the table with a grin. "How'd it go, kid? Didn't get any comments on your new form, did you?"

"A few, mostly from grandfather," Kuriza replied with a shrug. "Gave me a huge headache to stay in it so long, I'll tell you that."

"Maybe a little more practice is in order," Ginyu added, "The important thing is to keep improving. Next time I bet you won't get even a mild pain behind the eyes."

"Of course he won't," Guldo added, "Kuriza, just make sure to be early tomorrow. You were in a rush to get this done-you've got to be CAREFUL with these abilities, you know..."

Kale headed into the kitchen as he went on, and was followed shortly by Ginyu.

"So he really did well?"

"Yes," Kale said, glancing over the pot on the stove, "Decided to go with that soup again, huh?"

"They don't complain about it as much as they do everything else," he shrugged.

"Why do you put up with it, though?" she asked, getting a bowl out.

"There are three things my men can count on," he replied, "The team is always there for them, I'll always look out for them...and of course, the Captain's cooking is always awful."

"Why don't you take a lesson or two? Get a bit better?"

"They'd think the world had ended if I did that," he said, laughing.

"Gasp, shock and awe! Our captain is improving himself! You should be able to do that without worrying, you're a part of the team too. Don't you matter?"

"I'm the leader, and that means their needs come first."

"The world's not going to end if you...nevermind. I just think that you should think about yourself now and then."

"I do," he said, glancing briefly at her.

"Then why not do something about it?"

"It's best that I don't." He took a look in the sink and noted a few dishes, which he started on. "Look, it's been a long day for you and Kuriza. Why don't you head back to your quarters and hit the hay early?"

"I...guess we can do that." She blinked in confusion. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Actually, no...we've got a mission to head out for, and we'll be mobilizing in the morning."

"Well...whenever you get back, then."

* * *

I've never been so confused in all my life. It's like someone flipped a switch in his head. Did I miss something? Did I offend him?

 _You know exactly what's going on..._

 _Pet._


	9. Black Cloud

Ah, Ginyu. It's always nice to hear from you," Frieza said. It was unexpected, certainly, but he never minded hearing from the Captain. "What is it you're calling about?"

"It's a sensitive matter, Lord Frieza. I hope you don't mind my talking about it." It'd been eating at him for a while now, and he could only think of one way to fix it. "It's about your son."

"Has he been giving you trouble? Not been tending to his training?"

"It's just that he's been spending a lot of his free time with Kale, you see, and-" Ginyu gestured vaguely. "..and it's become a bit of a problem."

"It must be excessive if you're making a point of telling me about it, but I'm glad you did. Rest assured, this will be handled directly. I can't have my son getting overly attached to...the help." Then the screen flickered off, and he turned around. "Father?"

"Yes?"

"Tell your women to expect a new guest."

* * *

Sighing, Ginyu got up. It had been difficult to do, but there was really no other solution. He knew what was going to happen, and knew what she was in for-but it was still better than seeing her dead. With Kale spending so much time crying on his shoulder, and him having gotten to the point of looking forward to seeing her every chance he could, well...it was a recipe for disaster. This was for the best.

 _That doesn't make losing her any easier, though..._

He walked into the common room and pasted the usual grin on his face when he noticed everyone looking up at him from the table.

"You okay?" Kale asked, "You look a bit tired."

"I've had a long day," he said quickly. "Did everyone enjoy the food?"

"Do you really have to ask, captain?" Kuriza asked, "We always do."

"Except Kale, she didn't even finish hers," Recoome pointed out.

"It's not that I didn't like it," she answered quickly, "It's just...I'm just not hungry, that's all."

"Not hungry? A saiyan, not hungry? Mayday! Mayday! The universe is going to collapse!" Guldo said, waving his arms in mock panic.

"Maybe you'd like to WEAR the soup, you little dick!" She snapped.

There was a short pause, and then everyone started laughing. Recoome and Burter fell out of their seats absolutely howling and even Ginyu managed a chuckle or two. It took nearly a minute for it to completely pass through their systems and even then the giggles were still going-threatening to induce another round if they so much as looked at Guldo.

"Ah, I needed that," Burter said, trying not to burst into laughter again.

"Oh, that's right, your mother called! How is the old battleaxe?" Jeice asked.

"Same as ever. She was angry...as per the usual."

"What was it this time?" Kale asked. "The lack of grandchildren? You not having a steady girlfriend?"

"The job, actually. She always says that this thing of me working for Frieza isn't a real job. Oh, and she keeps mentioning how I hang out with 'that punk' Jeice too much, and when I finally showed her what I was making doing this, what do you think happened?"

"She praised you for doing so well for yourself? "

"Oh no, that would be reasonable! No, she started going on about my brother who's an accountant. 'He makes three times what you do!' she says. Ugh."

"You know, you're a grown man. If you don't want to talk to her, you don't have to."

"You've never actually met his mother, have you?" Guldo asked.

"I have not. Well...Kuriza and I have a busy day tomorrow, so we'd better head out. We're going to see if we can't get him more used to holding his second form."

"I honestly don't see the point," Kuriza grumbled, "My father doesn't use his other forms that much, if at all. Why should I have to work so hard at it?"

"Because that's what your father wants. And you know that what he says, goes."

 _You'd know that better than anyone._

"I guess so."

* * *

A week later, Kale grumbled as she woke to the sound of her computer chirping at her.

 _Eeeurgh, what the hell...am I biting my tongue in my sleep or something?_

The metallic taste in her mouth had returned, and so she opened her bedtable drawer and pulled out a few mints. It was odd, but she figured it was due to Ginyu's cooking. Everything he made seemed to taste of metal these days.

"A message this early in the morning...I thought I had that junk filter set up..."

Her heart sank somewhere into the neighborhood of her feet when she started reading the orders under her breath. As of that day, her assignment with Kuriza was ending. There was some detail about his age and being old enough to accompany his father and grandfather on a more frequent basis to better learn the family business. She was now assigned to some base on one of Frieza's planets a few days' travel away, and was a bit mystified that there wasn't more detail on it. However, at the bottom there was a note that she would be further briefed upon arrival.

 _Something doesn't feel right here._

Kale shook it off and glanced over the orders again. They seemed so...well, rushed wasn't the word she'd choose, but there was an air of quickness about it that didn't feel right. She wondered if she'd done something wrong-had Kuriza voiced his ill opinion of his father to someone? Maybe he had, and maybe she was being blamed for it. But in that case, wouldn't he have sent someone to dispatch of her? Possibly gotten the Ginyu Force to do it? Yes, they were her friends, but they, and Ginyu, had a dedication to their jobs and to Frieza that bordered on unnatural.

"This doesn't make any sense..."

* * *

Kuriza hadn't taken the news well, to say the least. He was still in what had been their quarters arguing with some minion or other over her having to leave, and had blasted several when he'd gone for breakfast. So when she finally left, it was alone. Unknown to her, however, Ginyu was watching from the security office.

 _You'll never know how sorry I am, Kale, but I am. I wish I hadn't had to do this to you._

In the pod, Kale glanced over the datapad she'd been given prior to boarding. The minion had mentioned she should turn it on once she'd taken off, and she'd done so.

Frieza's face appeared on it.

 _Oh, hell, a prerecorded message. Aren't I just the luckiest._

 _You should always remember what your master's face looks like._

"I don't have much time," the Frieza in the message said, "So I'm going to keep this short. It's been brought to my attention that you spend far too much time with my son. I understand your dedication to his care, but at his age such attention is no longer required-by you, anyway. From here he will be establishing himself, as it were. That, in turn, leaves you with only one other real duty. I think there is one thing worth mentioning, however. You're probably wondering to yourself, why am I here now? He was introduced months ago, why was this not done sooner?"

 _A good question...why not before now?_

"Well, you could say that...a report was filed. A complaint was made. Would you like to know who made it?" He smirked.

She paused, raising a brow. Why would it matter who made the complaint? Why was he looking so pleased?

"It was Captain Ginyu."

Had she done something wrong? Was this what he was upset at her over? Why hadn't he said anything to her about it?

"The good Captain takes his duty very seriously, and holds his loyalty to me above all else...just as you should."

 _No doubt he's also hinting that he is the only one I can really rely on...what kind of an idiot does he think I am?_

Before the message could go any further, she growled and snapped the datapad in half.

 _I'm going to get through this. I'm not going to let him win so easily._

 _With this meager strength, there is no opposing him. He will simply take what he wants, leave you a gibbering wreck on the floor, and then kill you._

 _If there's one thing he's taught me, it's how to be a survivor._

 _But to what end? What is the point of survival if you cannot escape your torment now?_

 _Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow...but at some point, there will be a half-decent opening...an opportunity..._


	10. Agony and Beauty

The uneasy feeling Kale had been having didn't get any better when the pod landed. The minion waiting gave her directions, and mentioned the compound she'd be staying in.

"But what about the room number?"

"I'm not allowed over there so I wouldn't know. It's a high-clearance area."

 _Then...why am I being sent there? No update on the situation? No mention of orders?_

She shook her head as she left the base. None of this made any sense...

It was a short walk away and when she finally found the place, she was certain there had to be some kind of a mistake. From the front, everything seemed to be made of white marble. Pillars, steps...

 _Don't go in._

But the minion guarding the door had already seen her, and after coming forward to check over her paperwork, let her head on in.

It was even more ostentatious inside than out. Everything that wasn't white marble was either rich purple or soothing blue-and the ceilings! They were insanely high, and she felt absolutely minuscule under them. When she'd passed the initial hallway, everything opened up, and she could see that the building was much larger than she thought. Was it a palace, she wondered? Archways on her left seemed to lead into a large courtyard, and on the other side of it there were more arches, and a second "hall." She glanced quietly through the arches on her right, and tensed when she heard giggling coming from the next room.

 _This isn't a base at all, this is more like a-No. No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no._

 _You knew better than to go in._

But she looked briefly into the next room and before she could say a word-the women inside saw her and came rushing forward, and she felt even smaller. The shortest of them still towered over her, and if she had to guess, was at least seven feet tall. All were wearing the kind of clothing she'd only ever heard described-it looked to be all of silk, and all of it seemed very carefully chosen to complement the womens' complexions and figures.

"Isn't she kind of short?" One of them asked.

"She's not one of Cold's, obviously. She's Frieza's."

"She's ADORABLE! Just look at how tiny she is!" a third said.

"Excuse me-excuse me-would someone mind telling me what this is about?!" Kale burst out.

"You mean no one's told you?" the second asked.

"You know Frieza, he likes to keep people guessing."

"Step back, everyone, step back, I'll do the explaining." Yet another woman came forward-this scarlet-skinned one was the tallest of the group, and was nearly twice Kale's height. "You really weren't given any details? I suppose that's to be expected. And look at you, he didn't even send you in anything decent..."

"I'm in the same uniform everyone else got," Kale replied.

"Oh, so you were a soldier, is that it?"

 _No. No, please tell me that-_

"Were? I'm not still-?"

 _This isn't happening. I'm not really here. This cannot possibly be happening._

 _Did you really think he'd let his precious pet sit around where just anything or anyone could stumble along and take it away from him?_

"Well, you are still technically a soldier, it's just..." she gestured awkwardly, as if she were weighing something, "...it's just that you're considered a bit too valuable to be with the rest of the rabble, as it were."

"I wouldn't call the Ginyu Force rabble."

"Oh, you've spent way too much time around them then. All that noise, all that drinking, it's just-ugh!"

"So tell me, what exactly am I here for?"

"Well, you're here because Lord Frieza wants you to be. Because you have two things that he wants. Your fighting ability, and...well..."

"I can already guess. Why keep me here? Why not let me stay on the station?"

"To be honest, and no offense to your heritage, the stations are all a monkey house of male hormones...unpleasant complications might have happened." the shortest one piped in. "And...he doesn't want that."

 _Okay, just stay calm. You can handle this._

"And, um...you ladies are...?"

"We're King Cold's, obviously."

"That explains why you're so damn tall. Should've known he'd keep a harem ready and waiting..."

 _Also explains why the ceiling is miles above your head._

"Harem is such an ugly word," the pale green one said, "We prefer to think of ourselves as a bunch of pretty soldiers that get a few extra benefits in exchange for a bit more work."

"Like being away from a bunch of drunk men?"

"Exactly! Exactly that. Not to mention Cold is such a dear."

"And there's none of that ridiculous backbiting between all of you?"

"Oh, good heavens no. That would just lead to a bunch of very unpleasant bloodstains everywhere...plus, Cold'd be unhappy about it. And we try to avoid that. Anyway! We have places to go, now you're here."

"Ah, places?" Kale asked.

"Of course!" the red one said, "You're the first to come here in, oh-I don't know how long! You're going to need a lot of new things, to be frank-if the budget we've gotten for your wardrobe is any indication."

"...wardrobe." It came out much more flat than she intended, but thankfully, none of the women took it badly.

"Oh, of course, you don't expect to wear that gaudy armor while you're HERE, do you? I mean, if we all get a planet to...take care of, then sure, but when we're off duty?"

"Can we just-can we just back up here? Could you all please introduce yourselves first?"

"Oh, we did kind of rush you, didn't we..." the red one said. "I'll start, so we can go by rank. My name is Gavi. I'm the one that's been here the longest, so I basically outrank everyone here."

"My name's Ansul," said the pale green one.

"Ilura here," said another-she was more of a pastel-yellow color.

"Ardae," piped in the sky blue one.

"Mila," said the grey-skinned one.

"And I," said the shortest one-she had skin like Kale's, "I am Julis."

"Now that you know us all, we need to get going," Gavi said, "Come on."

* * *

"I still can't believe this was all really necessary." Kale said, looking over the closet they'd put all the new clothes in.

"It's just one of the ways he expects you to return the favor of being here, as it were," Mila said, "And judging by all the choices he made for you, I'd say he's a big fan of legs."

"You're not kidding," Gavi added, "There's MAYBE a few things here that don't show them off. But those are just what he expects you pick from to wear when HE comes to this planet for a visit. You've got plenty of things here for when he's not, although if he's anything like his father, he'll be here pretty frequently."

"You...you really don't need to go into details."

 _You already know his appetite well enough, don't you?_

"Well! I'd say it's time to eat. What do the rest of you think?"

There was a general chorus of agreement, and despite herself, Kale followed them down the hall and into the dining area.

 _Things...things could be a lot worse. This place...they're nice enough. I can handle this. He won't be around often._

 _Do you honestly believe that?_

 _Stop it. Just stop it. I've survived him so far, this is nothing._

 _You should be DEAD right now, you should have chosen to stand and die. But did you? Did you? No. You chose to live-and not even on your knees! On your back._

 _Dying would be easy. Living is hard._


	11. Gravid

Author's Note: Ambition IS still being worked on. It's just that inspiration for THIS fic has hit and hit **_hard_** _._

* * *

The first few weeks were far different than Kale expected. Going to sleep in a room with an open archway-and no door-was unnerving, and it made her feel exposed.

But it, like everything else, got easier. There were very few demands on the womens' time, aside from the occasional planet to take care of or visit from King Cold, so they spent most of the time "helping" her figure out makeup and dressing in a fashionable manner. It helped to pass the time, they kept telling her. Oh, and something about looking more beautiful making her feel better about herself too.

Waking up and handling it all on her own was just an exercise in self-loathing, though. Getting out of bed and having a shower? No problem. But having to go through the things that he'd had them buy specifically for her? A nightmare. Every dress, every blouse, every compact was just another reminder that she was a kept woman now.

 _Just look at this...just look at this..._

 _Look at the collection you've become a part of, you mean._

She ignored it, and was halfway through fixing her hair when Gavi came into the room.

"Kale, there's a call for you."

"Can't it wait?"

"It's Frieza. I really don't suggest that."

She sighed and headed over to the computer. After a deep breath and a minor self-pep talk, she started it up and waited.

His face appeared a few moments later.

"Lord Frieza."

 _Perhaps you should bow._

 _I don't need this right now._

"Well, it looks like living there has certainly...brightened you up. Have father's women been helpful?"

"Yes," she nodded, "Although...I feel a bit..."

"Short?"

"You...you could say that."

"Well, you'll get used to it. Now, on to business..."

 _Oh, yes, I'm certain he has plenty of that to...discuss...with you._

"I'm going to be making a visit in three days, and your company is required."

 _As if I'm some common whore-_

 _Aren't you?_

"Yes, Lord Frieza."

He seemed to glance over her momentarily, before smirking briefly and adding, "Wear the red one with the blue sash."

And just like that, he was gone. The screen went blank and she was left alone again.

 _Well? Your master's given you an order._

 _Just leave me alone, alright? I already have enough on my plate without worrying about YOU._

 _I'm only trying to remind you about what's important. Your pride used to be what it should, and now..._

Kale just shook her head and left the room after she finished getting ready for the day. The rest of the women were already in the kitchen, gabbing over breakfast. Though her stomach turned at the thought, she headed on in anyway.

 _Don't they ever run out of things to talk about? It's like they never shut up..._

"Hey, Kale?" Ardae looked up from the table, "Gavi was telling us that Frieza called. What'd he want?"

"He's visiting in three days," Kale shrugged, "Didn't say anything more than that."

"You don't seem too terribly excited," Ansul said.

"Give her a while to adjust," Gavi interrupted, "As I recall, you weren't exactly happy about being moved off soldiering detail at first, either."

* * *

 _Well? Do you feel like a common streetwalker yet?_

Kale was standing in the landing bay wearing the dress Frieza had specified, and was trying desperately not to snap at the voice. It was difficult enough being summoned there to wait while the ship landed and was secured, without having to have that going off in her ear all the time.

 _I'm ignoring you right now. Just stop. It's not going to be any easier with you yelling at me._

 _If you would just do as I say, all this would be over._

 _Yes, it would be over. It would **ALL** be over. I plan to live past today, thank you._

 _Isn't death better than waiting for him to-_

"Good to see you ready and waiting. At least someone around here is punctual."

Frieza's voice came as a surprise, but she turned around and tried to breathe normally as her heart thundered away.

"Of course," she replied, bowing briefly. "I presume you'll be staying a while?"

"My, aren't we eager..."

 _The longer you put it off, the more he's going to toy with you._

"No, I...I was only wondering..."

"Oh, stop pretending. Now, I believe the weather is fair, so while my quarters are being prepared, why don't we have a walk?" He went past her in the hoverchair, and silently, she followed.

 _You realize he's just...playing on your fear, don't you?_

 _Leave me alone already!_

"I presume that the others were welcoming?"

"Yes, very much so. I wasn't expecting the shopping trip, though, so it was...a bit of a shock." She looked away at that, feeling suddenly awkward.

"You'll get used to it," he laughed, "Do you honestly think I'm going to let my father's women outshine you?"

"You really didn't have to do that...the clothes, I mean."

"Oh, but I do. He has all of them, and all I have is you. I had to be sure that what was mine was better than what was his."

 _His prized pet, the envy of all the others...a trophy, for all to see. You make me **SICK**._

"I didn't think you cared so much for such things. Yourself, certainly, but-" She paused, briefly, and leaned against the hoverchair, as a wave of dizziness struck her.

"Something wrong?" he asked, in a sharp tone.

 _His property has just touched his other property. Gasp._

"I'm sorry, I just..." she shook her head, and kept walking alongside him, but the dizziness didn't subside. "Perhaps we could get something to eat?"

"Have you...not been eating?"

 _Is that suspicion I hear? Have I done something wrong?_

 _You do nothing **but** wrong every second you stay here._

"I haven't been very hungry. It's nothing, really, it happens every time I'm on a new planet. Stress of a new atmosphere, I don't know."

"Fine, we can head back early, then," he replied. "But I expect a bit of gratitude."

 _Over and over, no doubt. He'll have you begging like a dog, and then leave you as miserable as you are now._

* * *

The lunch was only half-prepared, but they sat down to it anyway, and once her stomach started to fill, Kale felt much better.

"I'm sorry about that," she said, hoping to avoid angering him, "If you'd be kind enough to forgive me for the...the inconvenience."

"I might," Frieza said, smirking across the table at her. "It depends."

"An unwise person might, at this moment, ask, 'on what?' but I'm not quite that dim."

 _Oh, I don't know, you're having a meal with the man who killed your entire race and you're going to be-_

 _Shut up. Just SHUT UP!_

"I might consider it coy, but certainly not dim."

 _Alright...you can get through this...it'll be over quickly...he's not even done eating yet..._

 _You're pathetic. You could stop it right now, you just won't._

It was only just then that she noticed the sound of the door going off as the last minion left. They were now completely alone.

"It took you a while to visit...is there something about the planet you'd rather avoid?"

"Father's women. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes. I'm...I'm sorry."

"Not yet, you aren't." And with that, he produced the silver coin.

 _And there it is._

* * *

One good thing had at least come of the visit-Kale was able to avoid the women after each day's...time...with Frieza, claiming it was tiring to deal with him. The giggling never seemed to cease when she had to trot out that excuse, but a few rooms was at least enough to mute the annoying sound.

A few days after he left she found herself waking early, and she yawned as she headed down the hallway to the dining area.

"Well, our little Kale is up early! What's the occasion?" Mila asked.

She just shook her head, and answered, "Thirsty. Not hungry though."

"You're never hungry anymore," Julis piped in, "Are you feeling okay?"

"I've had some congestion here and there, but nothing major."

Feverish whispering broke out when she went to get a bottle of water from the fridge.

"They sent us a diseased monkey! Is Cold trying to kill us?!"

"He wouldn't do that. Maybe Frieza is?"

"Look, just calm down, now," Gavi said, "She's probably just caught a bug, that's all."

Kale returned with the water and sat carefully down before finishing it off in just under a minute.

"Were you out training or something?"

"No, I just...I don't even know right now, I just feel overall rotten."

For some reason, they all seemed to sit up straight at that. Ardae leaned forward and queried, "Rotten?"

"Everything hurts when I wake up in the morning, everything tastes of metal, my appetite is shot all to hell, and...in the last week or two I've been getting dizzy."

"Maybe we should have the base doctor take a look at you? It wouldn't hurt," Gavi suggested delicately. "I've heard you saiyans are notoriously self-sufficient, but considering the appetite thing, well...we don't want you to end up seriously ill."

* * *

What was odd wasn't that the doctors had drawn blood. It wasn't that they had given her a battery of other tests.

It was that they wouldn't tell her what it was all for.

When a fifth doctor-a reptilian this time-appeared wheeling in a computer screen on a desk with what looked like a microphone next to the mouse, she finally snapped.

"Would you mind telling me what's going on? You idiots have poked and prodded me and taken blood to test for gods only know what, and you aren't even sure what's happening!"

"That is what the tests are for, you know. This should be the last one though-we just need to check this one last thing before we're sure of what it is."

"Alright, but make it quick." She was feeling that nagging thirst returning, and the dizziness seemed to get worse whenever she had to lay down.

The doctor just nodded and brought the microphone-looking-thing over. "Raise your shirt."

"What?! Why?"

"I just need to check your abdomen. No need to raise it too far."

Grumbling, Kale obeyed, raising her shirt up to just below her chest, and the doctor moved the microphone thing over her lower abdomen.

He seemed to keep his eyes on the screen and squinted a few times at it.

"Well?!"

He smiled over at her, before turning the table so she could see the screen. "I think somebody would like to meet you."

Kale looked up at the screen with a groan, but on doing so felt an icy chill go down her spine.

It was barely a few inches long but she knew a baby when she saw one. It was shifting and kicking delicately, as if just figuring out that it could do both.

 _No. No. Please tell me that's...that's not...that I'm not..._

 _Another abomination to your people. Are you making a list yet? You should._


	12. Breakthrough

"Lord Frieza? We've received a medical report pertaining to your...to the saiyan."

He rolled his eyes and glanced back over the galaxy map he was currently studying. "Why should I care about her day-to-day health? Whatever it is, handle it yourself."

"Sir, I feel very confident that you will care what this _particular_ report says."

Frieza growled and turned to snatch the datapad. He glanced over it carefully, and then for a moment there was silence. Nearby minions took a little half-step away from his general direction, and all heads, whether consciously or not, were turned toward the door.

"Well?" King Cold was sitting a few feet behind him, looking amused at the sudden expression of rage spreading across his son's face.

"This isn't possible. This is simply not possible."

"What's not possible?"

"The monkey is pregnant."

"Well, then. Let me be the first to congratulate you on the impending birth of your first bastard."

"Father, this is not in the least bit funny. I was assured that this was impossible."

"Really, son, you need to be more careful. You picked up a new toy and started playing with it without even bothering to check the label, and now you're dealing with the choking hazards. I wouldn't worry too much about it. You are royalty after all. Bastards are expected in this situation."

"Yes, I know. As I recall, **YOU** had _six_ of them."

* * *

Two months had passed, and Kale wasn't sure what was more unsettling-the women's constant fawning over her or the lack of communication from Frieza. He hadn't sent any word of his opinion on the matter, and she knew he had to have been informed of the situation by now. No angry disapproval, no orders to take care of the problem, no nothing. Just...silence.

When she'd voiced her concerns to the others on the way to another appointment, they seemed encouraged.

"That's...pretty standard, actually. If he's anything like his father he'll probably stew over it for a while, curse the fact that he didn't take extra precautions, and then be perfectly content with the whole thing. In our experience, the reaction gets muted the more that appear, and then for some reason, a love of kids in general comes out of nowhere."

"How many have you all had...?"

"Oh, he let us have one each."

 _Gods above, a total of eight children? Someone was **busy**._

"And...where are they now?"

"Oh," Mila said, "Grown up, doing their own things. Some of them became soldiers, some of them didn't. In the end, though, they were provided for."

 _Ha. I hope you don't think Frieza's going to do the same for the little abomination you're still carrying. It's going to be lucky if you do._

 _I'll figure out what to do when I-_

 _You're six months in. You're running out of time, you know. Either do something about it soon, or you'll be stuck with a walking talking miniature Frieza._

 _But what can I..._

 _You know what you can do._

 ** _And hurt an innocent child that has never done you any harm?_**

Kale tried not to start, but felt a slight shake anyway. Why? Why a second?

 ** _Think of all the blood on your hands. All the innocent lives you've helped to end. Now think about this one._**

 _She knows it's only going to cause trouble. It's an abomination, a thing, and nothing more._

 ** _It is a life. It deserves a chance to prove itself different._**

 _It's the spawn of Frieza. It deserves no such chance, and if she knows what's good she'll get rid of it!_

"Are you alright?"

Kale shook her head and looked up to find Ansul leaning over her.

"Yes, just...just dizzy again, that's all." She sighed as Julis moved to her other side; they meant well, she knew that, but anymore she simply wanted to be left alone.

They entered the waiting room and Kale was almost immediately taken back-alone, thankfully.

"Have you been doing well?" the doctor asked, "Appetite returned?"

"Yes, it...it has. In force."

"Well, today we're going to do something I'm sure you've been looking forward to. We're going to determine if your baby's a girl or a boy."

 _What difference does it make?_

 _ **It didn't ask for this any more than she did.**_

"Do I really need to find out?"

"Well, normally we'd ask if you want to know or if you'd prefer to be surprised, but..."

"But what?" she asked as they stepped into the room. Carefully, she took a seat on the bed, and sat back.

" _I_ wanted to know." came a voice from the corner.

 _Of course_ , she thought, not even looking in Frieza's direction, _Of course you do_.

The doctor set up at that, and as before Kale lifted her shirt. This time she looked closely at the screen, waiting until it came into better focus...

"Well, well, look at that tail...its father's, if I'm not mistaken." He pointed to the screen at that, and traced the tail that curved from the baby's back, around its front, and up to the top of its head.

 _See, didn't I tell you. Little clone._

"Now, let's see...feet like yours, and...is that hair?"

"Most likely, yes," Kale said quietly, "Saiyans are born with a full head of it."

"Now, let's get to the important part..." the doctor moved focus at that. It took him a minute to orient things-the tail was tucked carefully between the baby's legs, which made it difficult to see much else. But, finally...

"Well! That makes it obvious. You're going to be bringing home a little pink bundle. Congratulations, it's a girl!"

Kale let out the breath she'd been holding, and kept watching the screen. The baby kicked, and then seemed to yawn.

 ** _Isn't she beautiful? Look at this innocent little thing. How could you ever want to harm her?_**

 _She is still his child. The same inclination to torment and death will no doubt rear its ugly head._

 ** _She deserves a chance._**

"Well, that will certainly make choosing a name easier," the doctor said a few minutes later as he shut off the machine. "Now, there are a few other things we'll need to check for mainly pertaining to her father's genetics but so far she seems to be in wonderful health."

He left an hour later, after drawing more blood and performing a variety of other tests and Kale was-awkwardly-getting up to leave herself when Frieza grabbed her arm. She tensed, but stopped in her tracks.

"You could have warned me that you'd be here," she said, taking a deep breath and turning to look at him.

"And spoil the surprise?"

"I assumed that your time was too valuable to waste on something so...trivial. Surely a message would have sufficed?"

"Why, Kale," he said, chuckling briefly as he reached up to stroke her cheek, "It almost sounds like you didn't want to see me."

"I-" she backpedaled quickly, "I didn't mean it that way-"

 _Yes, apologize. Do anything but tell him the truth._

He laughed again, and despite cringing in response, Kale found herself relaxing once he had. He wasn't angry. That was...that was good.

"I'm going to...keep an eye on this, shall we say," he said, "And if you're worried, consider this my stamp of approval."

 _Anything to keep his pet firmly under his control._

"I...have to admit that I was. You sent no word at all, and I was beginning to wonder when, if ever, you would."

"Let it be a reminder, then, to never doubt me." He nodded toward the door and she followed him out.

"I thought you wanted to avoid the...the women?"

"I sent them back. They seemed rather pleased with my doing so, for some reason."

"They were telling me on the way here about how your father handled this issue, perhaps they assumed that you are doing as he did." she answered, "But I...tuned most of what they said out."

"Smart girl," he said, "They will chatter on and on about anything and everything. That's another reason I chose you. You don't speak unless you have something worth saying."

 _Or something he wants you to say._

"Yet you placed me among them. What have I ever done that so displeased you?" _If he'd tell me, maybe I could avoid doing it again..._

"Chronologically," he asked, "Or alphabetically?"

"If the list is that long, you could just-"

"That would make the game far too easy," he said, glancing at her sideways with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

They were entering the hallway that lead to his quarters and her heart was already racing. Surely, not with her in this condition, and feeling this lousy...

"You consider this a game?" she couldn't stop the words-they just came tumbling out, expressing her shock.

"What else would it be?" he asked, raising an eye ridge.

 _How very true._

"I was only curious." She made the excuse quickly, before he could say anything more.

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know."

"And satisfaction brought him back."

"Really..." he chuckled at that, as they entered his quarters. "We'll just have to see, won't we."

* * *

The weeks continued to pass.

Kale was becoming aware of a mounting fear as her waistline kept growing, and as more appointments lent her more information on the child. Bimonthly ultrasounds were hinting at the cramped conditions it was under, and soon enough, she was being told that the baby had dropped. It wasn't until she got back home that she felt comfortable asking what that meant, exactly, and the answer was far from reassuring.

"Oh, that means you don't have long before the little one's here!" Ardae said. She giggled and rushed forward to lay a hand on Kale's swollen belly. "Has she moved much lately?"

"I-I don't know. I haven't noticed that she has." Not long now. Why had it had to go so quickly? The baby was nearly there, nearly ready to be a living, breathing reminder of what Frieza continued to put her through.

"Are you alright?" Gavi asked, "You're shaking."

"Of course she's shaking, it's cold out," Julis said, "I'll get her a blanket."

"I don't need a blanket, please, I just-"

Gavi shooed the other women out of the way and sat in front of her. "You're panicking, Kale. Look at me. You're fine. Nothing's wrong."

 _EVERYTHING is wrong. Just look at yourself, sitting here waiting for his child to arrive. Have you forgotten what you were? Yes, were. Because you've let him strip away every piece of your saiyan identity._

The tears started flowing, as the first voice continued to bring up every wrong she'd let pass since the first time Frieza raped her, and went on to remind her that there was a way out...if she'd only take it.

 ** _No. You can't do that to the poor child now. She deserves a chance to live, just as you do._**

"You're fine," Gavi kept repeating, over and over. "Ardae-somebody get her some tea, something to calm her down."

 _I don't deserve...I don't..._ The thought turned over and over in her mind, and all she could think was, she'd been doing so well. _You can't break down, not here. Not in front of all of them._

 _You're weak. You're so weak, it's absolutely pathetic. Why don't you just do as I tell you? Your life would be so much easier if you'd only end it..._

"No," she managed to get out through the flood of tears, "No. I won't."

"You have to calm down, Kale," Gavi said, moving next to her, "Sit back. Try to breathe deep. In and out."

She obeyed, and took in one deep breath after another while keeping her eyes firmly on the ceiling. _No_ , she kept forcing herself to think, _No. I'm not going to do that. If I do that, he wins. I won't let him win. As long as I live and breathe, no matter what he does, I'm still the victor._

 ** _As long as you do not give up._**

The tears were slowing, and she felt her resolve continuing to strengthen, and a defiant smile plant itself on her face. _You're not going to get the best of me yet, you son of a bitch._

* * *

It had taken her a couple hours to fully recover, but by the time she did, Kale was certain of what to do. They helped her to her room for a nap, and then sat quietly around while she fell asleep.

And for the next two weeks, that was how she kept herself leveled. The first voice continued its daily assault, but she ignored it as best she could and tried to be alone as little as possible.

 _Not today. No. Not today, she kept thinking._


	13. Cry Like Mine

"Alright," Gavi said, helping her onto the bed, "We just want to go over the birthing plan with you one more time."

"I don't need to hear it again," Kale replied, sitting up and taking a deep breath. She held up her hand and started counting the steps. "One, I realize I'm in labor, and I tell one of you so you can all freak out. Two, we get over to the doctor's, where they will proceed to do the same. Three, either I go through a natural birth or they decide to cut me open if it goes badly. Four, the baby is screaming, and therefore, has been born. Mission accomplished."

"How can you be so casual about it? Just think how close you are to having a sweet little bundle!" Ansul chirped, bringing over a glass of water.

"I would be, if I knew how to take care of one!"

"Oh, try not to worry," Julis said, "The doctors will tell you all the stuff that your instincts don't."

Kale went silent at that, and just looked back down at her belly. The baby shifted again.

"Oh, that reminds me...guess who's going to be visiting in a few days?"

"Doesn't he have more important things to do?"

"Well, it's not just him," Mila said, sitting down at the foot of the bed and grinning.

"Cold's coming too?!"

The squeals of excitement made Kale wince, and she turned onto her side and pulled a pillow over her head.

 _Great. Just great. Could this get any worse?_

 _Don't you know better than to ask questions like that?_

 _I don't see how it can! He's going to be here, his father is going to be here, and I don't even know when the baby is going to..._

 _If you'd only listened to me, you wouldn't even BE in this position!_

* * *

They were to arrive in four days, and worry consumed the first two. On the third, Kale woke and stumbled down the hall towards the communal bathroom, where most of them were ready for the day and in that final stage of preparing hair and makeup.

"Oh, Kale! You're up early!"

"Yes, I..." she cringed suddenly, as a bolt of pain radiated from her back to the front of her belly.

"Are you alright?" Ardae came over, still tying her hair into a braid.

"I...I've been having these pains..."

"What kind of pains?" Ilura asked from her place in front of a vanity mirror.

"Well, they...they woke me up, last night and they started out something like half an hour apart, but I was exhausted and...every ten minutes, I seem to get another one..."

There was a pause, and all of them looked at her.

"Ardae, call the doctors," Gavi said, getting up and walking over to help Kale stay upright, "Julis, get her bags. The rest of you-"

 _Stay out of the way._

* * *

She hadn't even bothered to look at the clock over the door the entire time the labor had gone on.

Water breaking, doctors running around like madmen, nurses trying to comfort her-and Gavi, who she'd decided would be the only one of the women allowed in the room, standing by her and trying to reassure her that she was doing well...it all blurred together. Pushing, breathing, pain, someone yelling something about an epidural...

But for once, the voices were silent.

...more pushing, more breathing, a thousand flares of pain connected to even more fears...

And then, suddenly, she heard the baby's cries.

"There we go, there we go..." Gavi said, "It's all over. It's all done. You did it."

Kale tried to slow her breathing as the little one was placed on her chest, and with shaking hands she reached up to hold the tiny thing in place.

The baby girl's skin was nearly as pale as her father's, though with enough of a peachy tint not to be completely white. Her tail was, as the ultrasound had shown, exactly like his, with not one trace of fur on it. She had lines under her eyes that extended to the chin; dark teal gemlike spots on her chest, shoulders, arms and legs; and the same dark lips. Kale tried not to choke looking at them, and instead reached up to touch the messy hair. It looked so much like hers had, in the old pictures her father had once shown her.

And then the baby stopped crying, opened her eyes, looked for the first time at her mother...and Kale felt her world come to a screeching halt.

They were red.

The child's eyes were red.

 _She has his eyes._

 _You see? I tried to warn you. I tried to tell you! But you wouldn't listen to me! And now, now look at what you have to endure! She's practically a clone!_

Kale was nothing if not relieved when the doctors took the baby back to clean her up, but winced when when of them turned back to ask, "Have you thought of a name for her yet?"

"Don't give the woman false hope," another doctor said, "You know he isn't going to let her give the kid a saiyan name. He'll probably have one ready himself that follows his family's naming traditions."

* * *

She was up and around early the next morning, and ended up scrubbing her skin nearly raw for the first time in a long time, much to Gavi's dismay.

"You look like you have sunburn! The birth wasn't that bad, was it?"

"Just...just nervous."

 _OH, yes. Wouldn't want to disappoint the little bastard's father by not looking your best, now would you?_

"There's no need to be nervous," Gavi said, smiling briefly. "He's not going to be here expecting company, he's visiting to see his child."

She sighed, and headed out into the hallway, down to the room that had been converted into a nursery. They'd told her it was because of the child's differing environmental needs-she was unable to regulate her body temperature, just like her father, and so would need to be carefully watched. A week, tops, and then she would be allowed to go home.

But the child wasn't in the nursery.

Where is she?

 _Perhaps he had it killed._

"Where is my daughter?" She stormed into the room and virtually growled the words at the nurse.

"You mean he-oh, Lord Frieza came by, he shouldn't be too far away. He was with the King, too, so-"

Kale rushed off in a panic. No, no, there was no way he would simply show up, take the child, and go. No. Even he couldn't be that-

 _Cruel? Oh, you know he could be. Perhaps he intends to kill her, and doesn't want to watch you cry over it._

She was beginning to panic when she passed a door to the hospital courtyard and saw Frieza's hoverchair outside, and headed out after it.

He was holding the carefully wrapped child, and waving one finger over her head with just the tiniest glowing ki ball on his fingertip. And was he...humming...?

It was a lullaby the women had tried to teach her to sing to the baby-she recognized the tune as he moved towards its end.

 _He's going to kill her when it's over._

 _He wouldn't._

 _He waited for you to show up, so he could do it in front of you. So he could remind you that anything he gives you can be taken away in an instant._

The ki ball moved closer, and she felt a sudden deep panic. He was going to-

"You-you could have told me you were going to-that you were here," she burst out suddenly.

"Oh? When did I start reporting to you?" He glared.

"That's not...I didn't mean it that way. Just...please, don't...it would be nice to know if you plan to take her so I don't...have to...worry."

 _Now he's got you._

"It's good to know that your barbaric saiyan instincts aren't telling you to leave her in the nursery her entire infancy."

"Of-of course not. They did say she'd need to be there for a week to be sure that she was out of the water as far as...the nurse had a term for it..."

"Infantile Thermoregulatory Failure. It can afflict...the _very_ young...when they are introduced to differing temperatures too quickly. The air out here is a bit warm so she's staying in the chair with me."

"...thank you." It felt horrible to show him gratitude, but Kale was utterly relieved that his intentions hadn't been nefarious. The chair was a marvel of climate control and was used whenever he had to be in places higher or lower than his accustomed temperature, and would certainly keep-oh. Right, she had forgotten to ask.

"Oh. The doctors told me that they were leaving the naming up to you. What...what did you end up-?"

 _Oh, I bet you love having to beg information out of him like this._

"Borea."

"That sounds-"

"THERE you are!"

Kale turned, and had to look up, as King Cold had appeared behind her. She immediately bowed, and he waved the motion off.

"Now, son," he said, cautiously taking the gurgling child in both hands, "You really shouldn't run off like that. You knew I wanted to get a look at the baby before you slipped off with her!"

Borea looked so miniscule in his enormous hands-yet it was obvious he knew what he was doing, so Kale relaxed.

He unfolded the blankets just a bit, and glanced over the gemlike spots. "Hers look just like mine," he said, grinning, and briefly stroking one on Borea's shoulder. "Oh, and look, son, she has your eyes. It's really too bad about the hair, but I suppose that can be fixed."

Kale glanced over at Frieza and he nodded toward the door she'd come through. Ah, so he wanted her gone. She could guess why, to be honest, and she wasn't too eager to stick around either. So she headed back to her hospital room, taking a deep breath and trying not to panic over leaving Borea with him.

 _Not so worried about his father, are you?_

 _His father has had **six** illegitimate children, one by each of those women and hasn't killed any of them. I can trust him farther than I can trust Frieza._

"Kale?"

She stopped in her tracks when she heard Ginyu's voice, and turned around to look up at him. "Hello."

That cold greeting was painful enough, but looking at her was even worse. No matter how badly she wanted to hide it, it was obvious to him that a good deal of the light had gone out of her eyes; the fire in her had been considerably extinguished. And to think that he'd had to play a part in it...

"I was wondering how he...took things."

"Hasn't he told you? You're one of his most trusted. I assumed he would."

"He simply brought me along as a little extra security considering that King Cold came as well. It doesn't mean that he tells me any more than he does any other soldier."

"He brought you and not the rest of your team?"

"The King expressly forbade their presence."

"Oh, bring a bunch of drunk and flirtatious imbeciles onto a planet where the King keeps his treasured harem. I wonder what could possibly go wrong with such a scheme?"

"They're not...they aren't-"

"No matter how hard you try, Captain, they are. But they do good work, they're loyal, and that's all that matters to Lord Frieza. And to you."

Ginyu paused to study her face after that reaction, and after a moment's indecision asked, "Have I...done something?"

"Let me tell you a story to answer your question, Captain. There once was an emperor who had many people under his command, and two in particular were a slave-girl and a knight. The slave-girl he prized as a means to sate his lusty and sadistic desires; the knight he valued for his battle prowess and loyalty."

He nodded and walked alongside her, waiting for the rest.

"The slave-girl grew to trust the knight, because he would listen to her weeping, and try to comfort her about all of the cruelties the emperor inflicted upon her. He encouraged her to keep fighting, to not give in to the urge to simply die. And she was just a little bit happier...because she finally had someone she could count on."

She took a deep breath, and her tone went to ice. "Then one day, the knight stabbed her in the back. He crippled her ability to do anything but serve as the emperor's plaything. Ever after, she would wonder why he had been so heartless."

Kale walked past him at that, and so did not see the pained, wide-eyed look on his face. As she rounded the hall's next corner he reached briefly out as if to say something, but instead muttered under his breath and turned to walk in the opposite direction.


	14. Watched You Die

Author's Note: Whew! Finally all caught up! From now on you'll be waiting a little bit longer for chapters, unfortunately. :(

* * *

Frieza and his father spent only a few days there, and thankfully Kale was unbothered for almost the entirety of it. She saw little of Borea, but it was a fair enough trade-although seeing King Cold cooing over a baby had to be the number one oddity of it all. The women assured her that this was normal behavior for him, but it was still...

She shook the thought off as she stood in the landing bay. Frieza had strangely insisted on her being there, and as always, the order had been obeyed. She busied herself with reading over the discharge papers that the doctor had sent her for Borea. It included some warnings about keeping her temperature stable, something about the importance of scheduling feedings properly...all things that the women had happily been informing her of already.

"Hey, you know, he's not going to be here for at least half an hour," said the minion at the console, "You don't have to sit around waiting."

"I'd rather be early than a minute or two late. I think you know what he's like when you keep him waiting or aren't there when he wants you to be."

"Yeah...my brother got wasted a few years back...anyway-"

"Excuse me, I'm here to do a once-over of the area before Lord Frieza gets here." Ginyu appeared rather suddenly, and spoke evenly to the minion at the console, "Take a smoke break or something, I've just got to make sure you haven't put any bombs on the platform, or anything like that. I'll cover for you if he makes a complaint."

"Sure thing, Captain."

As Ginyu was checking through the commands in the console, he started talking again. "Kale, you told me a story a few days ago..."

"Yes, I did."

"...would you like to hear the other half of it?"

"The other half?"

"The knight's side." When she didn't interrupt or leave, he went on, still scrolling through menus and orders on the console. "The knight spent a long time comforting the slave-girl, to the point where he was afraid that his attention would become dangerous for her. Because..."

He sighed, and took a deep breath, steadying himself for what came next. "Because the knight had fallen in love with the slave-girl, and knew that if he spent much more time around her, something could happen. And that something could become known to the emperor, who would surely have had her killed. So he stabbed her with a blunted blade, doing the only thing he could to save her life."

"I can venture to say with confidence that she would rather have died."

Neither of them could find the words to say more.

Frieza entered the landing bay a few minutes later, spoke a word or two of farewell to her-with some hints about the time of his next visit-and boarded the ship. Ginyu followed soon after, and did not look back.

* * *

Frieza left, and once he did, the months seemed to pass quickly, like grains of sand slipping through my fingers.

Before I knew it, Borea was turning seven.

The child is a marvel, to be honest. She always wears a smile, always wants to be of help, and despite being so much smaller than the other women, and even me, never seems to have a problem with it. When her father does actually deign to visit her, she greets him with the same grins as everyone else. Then, of course, there's the matter of King Cold, and honestly-it brings a much needed laugh when I see her climbing up the back of his cape and his squirming to grab her before she reaches the top of his head and declares herself the winner.

I'm really not sure what I would do without her. There are so many nights that just thinking of her saves my life.

But as I write this, I've looked in the mirror, and the thought occurs to me...

Has it really been over a decade-I know it's more, but I refuse to count exact years-I've had to suffer him?

Has it?

The time isn't even what scares me the most. Those years...I could almost get through this, if it weren't for being afraid of the next time-because every time I have a lengthy absence from him, I begin to heal. I begin to grasp the meaning of what I lost, and then I try to look forward to the future, or perhaps find a way off-planet, just long enough...

And that's always when he visits.

* * *

"Mama, why hasn't he come out yet?"

Borea stood impatiently beside Kale, holding her hand, and waiting as the ship continued to just sit there.

"He's just waiting for all the procedures to be finished. You know he's very important, and they want to be sure no one's trying to hurt him."

"No one can hurt papa," the child said proudly, "He should hurry up and come on out."

"Just be patient, he's-"

"There he is!"

Frieza was emerging from the ship in his hoverchair, and Borea was practically bouncing by the time he made his way over to them.

"Papa, why'd they take so long? I wanted to see you, and mama said they were checking for in case someone was trying to hurt you-"

"No one can hurt me."

"Then why do you let them do the checks and all that?"

"Because it's easier to travel in a ship that hasn't been blown up, child."

"Ohhh, okay."

"Has your mother been behaving herself?"

"Mmhmm."

"Good." He glanced briefly at Kale as he passed, and as had become the custom, the two of them followed him out to the overlarge courtyard.

"I've been getting stronger, papa," Borea piped up.

"Oh? I suppose your mother has told you about your saiyan blood, then?"

"Is it because of that that I want to be strong?"

"You...could say that."

The conversation moved on. Frieza asked after a lot of things that Borea had done, or would be doing. Kale, on his other side, could only cringe at the excitement in Borea's voice.

 _Well, he certainly must ensure that he is her favorite._

After an hour or two's walk, Frieza asked one final question.

"I imagine you're hungry, aren't you, Borea?"

There was a pause as she considered the belly that she had forgotten was growling. "Uh-huh..."

"Why don't you go and eat with your mother's friends, then. We have a few things to discuss. No need to worry, we'll be along in a couple of hours."

"Aww, I wanted to eat with both of you!"

"No, no, you know the rules."

"Grown-up time. I know." She pouted briefly, but ran off.

Once she was out of earshot, Frieza turned the hoverchair around and headed back for the station. "Children and their endless questions. I can't imagine the bother she must put you through."

"It isn't...as bad as you might think. She just has more questions for you since you're here so rarely."

"Perhaps I should visit more often."

"You must have better things to do."

"More pressing matters, on some occasions. But my schedule has cleared up of late, you know. I could simply spend a few weeks here...or bring the both of you along with me. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Give the child the feeling of a proper family?"

"I'm sure she would love to have that."

His eyes narrowed briefly, but he said nothing more until they were in his quarters.

"There's something I think you need to understand," he growled, his tone having shifted to ice.

* * *

Borea had certainly _intended_ to go and have lunch with the women, but on her return to the kitchens, found that they weren't there. Maybe they'd gone shopping? It was all the reason she needed to turn around and head back, though. If they weren't there, her father could hardly blame her for coming back and wanting to have lunch with him, and with her mother. Could he?

She was practically skipping down the minion-less hallway and was about to tap the door-panel to enter Frieza's quarters when there was a sudden THUMP from the other side of the door.

She put her ear to the door, curious.

"I ask so little of you," came her father's muffled voice, "So very little. And you can't even show simple courtesy in return for all I've given you."

"I can't keep doing this!" came her mother's voice-almost clear as a bell. Was she standing just behind the door? "I can't keep pretending this is all normal!"

"You will keep doing whatever I tell you to do." There was the sound of footsteps, and then a strangled gasp.

And then the sound of a fist meeting flesh.

"How many times must we go through this? I don't enjoy doing this. Yet you keep making me. You refuse to be even the slightest bit grateful."

"Grateful for what?!"

Again, the sound of a fist meeting flesh, but this time, it was accompanied by a cry of pain.

"Who paid for the clothes on your back? The food on your plate? The wine in that glass of yours? WHO?!"

Fist. Cry.

"ANSWER ME!"

"Y..."

Borea kept listening, unable to tear her attention away, as her mother's voice sounded off again. It was tearful, it was afraid...

...it was everything she had never heard from her mother when her father was around before...

"You."

"Exactly. Exactly. Do I ask much in return, however? Do I really require so much of you that you can't give?"

Choked sobs.

"I expect an answer."

"N...no. I'm...I'm sorry."

"No, you aren't."

It was a dark and unforgiving tone. The kind of voice she imagined he used when he was putting down those disobedient minions he always talked about.

"Not yet."

"Please, don't..."

"Don't what? Hit you again? There are far better ways for me to hurt you than that."

"W...what are you...?"

"Maybe I should simply take her, instead of the two of you...perhaps send her off...a proper education is completely necessary for one of my children, legitimate or not."

"No! You-please don't, please, just-"

"Kale, Kale, Kale...begging just doesn't become you..."

There was a pause, and Borea heard a ragged breath from the other side of the door.

"W-what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to give you one last chance. Defy me again in even the _slightest_ way, do anything, _anything_ to challenge me...and you-"

There was a yelp.

"...and you will _never see her again_. Is that understood?""

"Y-yes..."

"Good girl."

* * *

Kuriza was right...

Papa's a bad man. He took mama away for a week or two, and she came back...different. She still loves me. She says it all the time.

But...she doesn't smile like she used to.

And she cries at night...

She thinks that I'm sleeping, that I can't hear her.

But I can.


	15. Happy Mask

"Namek? I've never heard of that planet before." Kale said, confusion written all over her face. She was looking over his shoulder as he browsed a small galaxy map on the room's computer.

It had been...gods, was it five years, or six?...and she was ashamed to think of just how easy it had been to slip into that persona of lusty affability. But what Frieza wanted, he got, and as he was perfectly charming when he was getting what he wanted there was no reason for it to be completely unpleasant. Things, she often forced herself to think, could be much worse. Although...there were still days when the first voice would go on a mental rampage, and on those days, it was always tempting to listen to it...

But there was Borea to think about, and each time he made a request or gave her a look that set her on edge, she was reminded all of she stood to lose.

 _You have nothing left for him to take._

"You wouldn't have," Frieza answered, breaking her out of her thoughts as he stood. "I'm heading there shortly, either later today or tomorrow."

"And what are you after there?"

He glanced back and her expression instantly wilted.

"I'm sorry. It's really not my business."

"In a small way, I think it just might be."

"Why is that?"

"Because." He turned to back her against the wall, before looking intently into her eyes. "Once I return, my dear...you will never leave my side again."

* * *

Kale returned with her carefully crafted look of disinterest plastered on her face, only to find Borea once more at the computer. Anymore, she seemed glued to it, studying these propulsion figures, or looking up those statistics on cloaking a ship. Today, however...

"Talking to your brother again?"

"Mmhmm."

"I thought he was busy with the Tiverlian system?"

"He was, but he's finished it ahead of schedule. Say hi."

Kale took a seat beside Borea and looked at the image of Kuriza, smiling briefly. He hadn't grown much overall, but he looked comfortable in his position, at least.

"It's good to see you again," she said, "Borea tells me you've been doing very well for yourself."

"I suppose I am, although grandfather cannot stop going on about it."

"He means well," Borea piped in, "He was here a few weeks ago and wouldn't stop talking about how I could end up working as one of your elites or something, if I'd just work on my strength."

"Honestly, I don't need elites, I have more of those than I can handle." He groaned and buried his face in his hands, before looking up wearily at Borea, "Want to trade places?"

"Sorry. Bastards don't get leading positions and fancy titles. You're stuck with it. Anyway, why don't you talk with mom, it's been too long since you did. I need to get something to eat before Ansul eats all the good fruit." And with that, Borea was out the door.

"And how are you doing?" Kuriza asked, desperate to get off the subject of work. "She was telling me that father just left this morning."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"Kuriza, I-"

"I can see right through that mask you put on for him, you know. I KNOW what's going on. I do now, and I did then, so stop pretending I don't."

"Kuriza, there's no need to mention it. I've made my peace with the situation." she smiled weakly.

He crossed his arms, and looked away. "If I'd been a bit stronger, perhaps I'd have-"

"No. It's not your fault-don't you dare think it is. How could you have done anything?"

"I don't know..." he shook his head, and then looked back up at her, "But I think I have some bad news for you."

"What?"

"Father's apparently told Borea that it would be good for her if she spent more time with me. I suppose his intention is to follow my grandfather's wishes, and have her serve under me as a soldier."

"At her age?!"

"Well, not right away, obviously. But he was telling her that it would be good for me to have a sparring partner, or some nonsense like that, someone he doesn't have to worry about."

"Again, at her age?"

"Don't ask me..." he sighed. "I have to go. Just...take care of yourself, alright?"

"Will do, kid. See you later." She cut off the message and turned around with a deep breath. Frieza was trying to get Borea to leave. Why? Was he sick of sharing her attentions? Could he really be that juvenile?

 _He wants you all to himself again. How lucky you are to get such attention._

 _I don't need this right now._

 _I think that's a matter of perspective. You need it now more than ever. Look at you._

 _Stop, just stop!_

 _You can't stop me by begging any more than you can him. Give. Up. Oh...I forgot. You already have._

* * *

The days passed strangely quickly. Kale realized one morning when she booted up the computer to check her messages that her birthday was in a few weeks, and sighed.

 _It's only a number...but..._

 _He has taken the best years of your life-nearly half of it, and you just let him._

 _I had no choice._

Fifty.

The thought of the number was stunning only when she considered how much off what the voice was saying was true. Frieza had dominated her life for nearly twenty-four years.

The computer beeped at her, and she shook her head. A video call? He couldn't possibly have finished his mission that quickly...

But she took a deep breath to steady herself, and accepted the call.

It was Kuriza.

He was wide-eyed, and appeared to be a little bit shaken. "Kale? I have some news for you about...father."

"What, is he immortal now?" she asked sarcastically, looking down at her hands.

"Actually...he's dead."

She glanced back up. "Kuriza, you were never that good at jokes."

"No, no, it's the truth! The long-range scans report that Namek has been completely destroyed. We've lost the signal from Frieza's detachment."

"He probably took what he wanted, and destroyed the planet. He's good at that."

"His ship no longer exists, and we saw no life-forms leaving the planet. What we did get was a little fuzzy, but there was something about another power level right before we lost contact."

 _I'm free..._

The hope sprung up, wild, ready to overwhelm her, but was quickly swatted down by the first voice.

 _You know him. He wouldn't die so easily._

"I'll keep you updated." And with that, the call ended.

She sat there, completely still, for what felt like an eternity.

"Frieza...gone..."

The next few days were a haze of trying not to let the joy show, and having to bear with the women complaining about King Cold cancelling his trip there the following week. It was obvious they hadn't been told-and she was glad, too, because she was in no mood to play along with being consoled for "her loss" or any nonsense like that.

* * *

"Borea, wake up."

"Mmmph...what..." She turned over. "Mom, it's too early. If _he_ is here, tell him I spent all night training or something."

"Borea, get up!"

"Why?" she groaned, sitting up.

"We're going."

"Going, going where?"

"We're leaving. Hurry up, get dressed, and don't make any noise if you can help it."

"Why, what happened?" Borea pulled on an outfit without thinking too hard about it, and was heading for the vanity table when Kale grabbed her shoulder. "Mum, what's going on?"

"Your father's been killed," came the hushed reply, "And we are getting while the getting is good."

"But-"

"No buts. Come on."

Kale could only grin when they left the building, as they passed a guard that absolutely reeked of whiskey. Ah, so he had finished her little gift? Good. Good. Drinking on duty, though, that was certain to get a punishment...

 _Anything to save your miserable hide._

As they entered the landing bay she heard a familiar voice from someone who'd just drifted in behind her.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know yet, Kuriza. Anywhere but here."

"You...might want to put that plan on hold."

 _No._

"Why?"

 _Please, no._

"They found him."

It was like the shadows had rushed up around her. Whatever Kuriza was saying now, she wasn't even hearing because of her own racing panic. Frieza was alive. He was _alive_. He was going to find out she tried to leave, take Borea away from her permanently, and then...and then, she didn't even want to think of what punishment he'd devise.

 _I'll never escape him now._


	16. Coup D'etat

_I can't panic. Not in front of the two of them._

 _Still alive._

But Kuriza had said the planet was destroyed. How could he have survived that?

 _Did you really think you could get rid of me so easily?_

Kale froze as the voice sounded off by her left ear, and turned with wide eyes and a charged ki beam to face-

No one.

There was no one behind her.

"...mom?" Borea asked suddenly, "Are...are you okay?"

 _No. No, gods, please...please..._

* * *

Kale had gone back.

What point, she asked herself, was there in resisting any further? He had been found. They were no doubt working on him even now, whether in a healing tank or otherwise.

It was over.

 _It's all over, my pet._

 _Please, just...just leave me alone..._

But time went by all the same. Her fiftieth came and went, and she received weekly, and sometimes daily, updates on Frieza's condition. For the first three months, everything seem to be touch and go. One night he would be doing well, and the next he would be in dire straits.

However, as she suspected, it leveled off. He was stabilized, and then, after a period of months-he was, as the doctors had put in their report "now a blend of machine and man unrivaled throughout the galaxy." She sat reading it with horror, and a continually worsening feeling of despair.

 _See? All better._

 _You should have done what I told you to do. You wouldn't be tormented like this continually if that were the case._

 _She only does what I tell her. Isn't that right, my dear?_

 _It's over. It's over. Gods, what did I do to deserve this? I just...I just want this all to...I want..._

 _There is still time for you to listen to me. He wouldn't find you. He would never be able to touch you again._

 _I...I can't...Borea..._

In her right ear, the whisper came. _She doesn't need you anymore. Her brother'll take care of her!_

And then, from the left, the third voice. _And you know that if I come back to you, I'll kill you anyway. So why don't you make this easy on yourself?_

She took a deep breath. _No. I won't. If I..if I do, he..._

 _My dear, faithful little pet...I've already won._

"Mother?"

The voice came from behind her and she jumped slightly, before turning towards Borea with a small smile. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Well, I just thought you'd like to know that Kuriza's here."

"He is? Why?"

"He said he wanted to talk to both of us."

Sighing, Kale stood and followed her daughter, wondering what it was about this time. Was he there to retrieve her? What was even going on? Frieza had apparently been made whole again, more or less, so why was Kuriza the one...?

 _Perhaps his father is going to have him kill you. He's more machine now than man, what use could he possibly have for you?_

When they arrived in the landing bay, Kuriza was waiting, and turned towards them with a grim look on his face. "Come inside the ship, with me. I don't want us heard."

Puzzled, both she and Borea followed, and once inside his ship's quarters, he took a deep breath and began, "We have a chance to be rid of him."

"What do you mean?"

"He's going to the home planet of the one who nearly killed him. Did you know it was a saiyan?"

"A saiyan? But-there weren't-"

"Apparently there was! The man nearly killed him, but I guess didn't count on how nigh-on indestructible his body is."

"And...and what's going to happen now? He's going there to-"

"With grandfather, to kill the saiyan, and his friends. Let's just say...I'm not prepared to let that happen."

"Kuriza, when did you develop this plan?" Kale was shocked. He'd never shown this kind of, well, ruthlessness before. Where could it have come fr-oh. Right.

"I've been working on it a long time, actually," came the reply, "Do you have any idea of how much respect I've garnered in the PTO? How preferable I am to most of the rest of my family?"

"Well, you're much nicer than them, for one," Borea said, "Most of the time, anyway."

"That minion tried to kill me. My forgiveness only goes so far. Now, as I was saying...I've already had some of my own...minions...get your things."

"Why take us with you?"

"Because I think you deserve to see him die."

Kuriza smirked, in a way that Kale wasn't altogether sure she liked.

 _So one regime topples another, is that it? Watch him, he'll kill his father and then once he's done with that, he'll go after you next._

* * *

"Lord Kuriza, we're at least three hours behind him. We're not entirely certain he won't simply blow up the planet and move on."

"He won't blow it up. The saiyan defeated him...he will want to humiliate the man first, before he destroys the planet." Kuriza gave a nod to the minion before a second spoke up.

"Lord Kuriza! We're picking up a small one-man space pod! Looks like it's from the Ginyu Force!"

"I though they'd all gone to Namek? Weren't they on it when it was destroyed?" Kale asked. She went quiet when they looked back at her, but the thought remained.

"Can we get an inside view?"

"No, but we're able to tell that there is an occupant."

"Get a lock on it and bring it into the docking bay." Kuriza sighed, and gave a second order to have soldiers waiting for it.

Borea and Kale followed mutely after him.

When they arrived, the ship...well, it looked beaten to hell, to be quite frank, but somehow or the other it still seemed to have the power to open its door.

A man in the oddest clothing any of them had ever seen stepped out.

Black spiky hair that parted to the left and right. Wide dark eyes that clamped shut briefly when the overhead lights all went on. And then he laid eyes on Kuriza, and struck a fighting stance. "Frieza!"

Kuriza was, to put it mildly, unamused.

"I get that a lot..." he said.


	17. Head Cha La

"So what you're telling me," the pointy-haired stranger said, "Is that you're rebelling against your dad, and this woman here is a saiyan, and your sister over there is a half-saiyan?"

"Yes, Mr. Son..." Kuriza replied. He watched the man eat-and with no small amount of surprise. He hadn't looked suspicious, he hadn't refused the meal...he'd just started eating. Had he no care for his own safety? "Would you mind if I asked you something?"

"Just Goku. And sure, g'ahead," Goku muttered around a large mouthful of food.

"I'm the son of the man who killed your entire race. I offered you food. You're not the slightest bit worried that I would poison you?"

"I could sense that you didn't have any intention of harming me," came the reply, "No need to be suspicious."

"I...see..."

"So you really did it?" Borea leaned forward, looking at Goku with a mix of amazement and awe. "You really beat my father? I mean he was alive, but..."

"Yeah. And I'm really sorry I had to do it. Or...sorry that I almost did it, or...whatever."

"You gave him a chance to live, didn't you?"

It surprised Kale as much as anyone else to hear the question from her own mouth. But it had come all the same.

"Yes, I did. I don't like killing my enemies, it doesn't seem right, but Frieza really didn't give-isn't giving me much of a choice.""

 _Fool_.

Again, the voice had sounded off as if he were whispering it right beside her. And again...there was no one there.

She cringed briefly, and ground her palm into her ear.

"Are you alright?" Kuriza looked back.

"I'm fine, I just...I'm just nervous."

"Nothing to be nervous about. Just let me take care of Frieza." Goku grinned, as he finished off what was left of the food on his plate. "...if only we could get there a little faster..."

Kuriza got up after a brief pause, and went over to the computer in the corner of the room. After a short silence, the screen flickered on. "Lord Kuriza to the bridge. All engines to full."

"Sir?"

"All. Engines. To. Full. We need all the speed we can get."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

Krillin looked up with an expression of wide-eyed terror. "Oh, no...more huge power levels!"

"Wait, one of them's my dad!" Gohan burst out, looking up with a grin. He knew that ki; it couldn't be anyone else, and he could hardly wait.

"What?!" Vegeta looked up. "What's he doing on that ship?"

Further down from where they were watching, Frieza looked up with a smirk as his son's ship landed. Somewhat confused, but also waiting, was King Cold.

The ramp extended.

Kale emerged, with a grim expression, and took a spot on the left side of it. Borea repeated this gesture as she followed, and took a place on the opposite side.

Kuriza appeared.

"Ah, good, I thought you might show up," Frieza said, "And I see you've brought the rest of my family. Come to witness my final victory?"

"Not quite. But I did bring you a present, father." Kuriza stood beside Kale, and looked up as Goku started to walk down the ramp.

"What?!"

"He doesn't look like much of a threat," King Cold sniffed. "Are you sure this is the one? What about that golden hair you said he had?"

Frieza growled and lunged at Goku, who jetted into super saiyan and charged with equal anger. They ricocheted off one another, and the fight moved into the air-Frieza aimed a ki blast at Kuriza's ship, but Goku rushed and deflected it.

"What kind of a monster ARE YOU? Are you really willing to kill your own son?!"

The fighting went on, and Kale, along with Kuriza and Borea, could only watch the clash in a fearful hope. If this failed...if Goku lost...

 _He will lose. You know he will. Perhaps if you beg for forgiveness when he does, your master will be merciful and kill you quickly._

 _No...no, Goku isn't going to lose. He's won this fight before...he can do it again. He **has** to do it again._

She watched with white knuckles as Goku sent a relentless barrage of ki beams at Frieza before rushing forward and snapping off part of his tail with a kick.

"No mercy this time."

"All this talk of mercy," came the venomous reply, "You're weak, just like Vegeta, just like the Namekian, and just like your brat!"

"Showing it is not a weakness." Goku answered, grabbing what was left of Frieza's tail. "It's a gift. And I'm taking it back." And just as Frieza was turning around to strike, Goku pulled the tail tightly and started swinging his opponent around and around. Once, twice, three times, four times-the onlookers lost count after eight or nine times-before finally, Frieza was thrown into the air.

"KA..."

 _What is that?_

"ME...HA..." There was an intense blue light building in his palms.

 _Your salvation._

"...ME...HAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The blast fired directly at Frieza, and Goku kept going, kept pouring every ounce of ki into it for a solid minute.

When he stopped, ashes were falling all around.

Goku took a few deep breaths, and then turned to King Cold. "I'm going to give you a chance. Take your crew, take your ship. Leave, and never come back."

"That was an impressive display, young man. Such an incredible attack, too, to obliterate my son completely. That must have taken quite a lot of energy."

"What's your point?"

"My clan's always open to the exceptionally strong. And a display like that, well...surely earns you a place."

"I would never join such a clan."

"Now, now, don't be so hasty. With such power the universe would be at your fingertips!"

"I don't want the universe. I just want to go home to my wife and son."

King Cold's tone softened. "After such an attack, you must be exhausted."

Goku's head tilted slightly. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"After using up so much energy..." he suddenly lunged, screaming, "...you could never hope to defeat _me_!"

Goku caught him by the wrist, and pulled him forward and off balance before flying up and kicking him hard in the chest.

There was a gasp and as soon as his back hit rock, Cold was coughing up blood. He tried to get up but found that his legs were completely unresponsive. Breathing was a journey through all kinds of extreme pain-and even trying to inhale set off an array of spasms and audible bone-grinding sounds.

"I gave you a chance. Just like your son." Goku said curtly, before charging up one more energy blast and aiming it directly at King Cold.

Silence fell...as did more ashes.

 _It's over. It's finally over..._

Goku turned back to Kuriza and the others. "You guys're welcome to stay here a while, if you'd like. My friends might be a bit...wary at first, though." Then he looked up and over in what seemed like a random direction and shouted, "Come on down guys! Frieza's dead! Everything's fine!"

As the small crowd flew down from the top of a large cliff, Kale was finally starting to relax. It was finally over. After more than twenty years...

...she was finally free.

 _Are you?_

The group landed, and a bald man and young boy stepped forward. The boy rushed and hugged Goku's leg. "Dad! You're home!"

"Yes, Gohan, I am home." Goku picked the boy up and gave him a hug, before addressing the rest of them. "Guys, meet my new friends. They're the ones who brought me here."

Kuriza and Borea bowed in greeting, as did Kale; however, she couldn't help but notice the expression of shock on the bald one's face.

"Goku...you're going to have to do a lot of explaining..."


	18. Trauma Bond

"You're sure about this?" Kale looked down at the seven orbs. She'd spent the past couple months collecting them with Borea's help, and even now, the very idea seemed...well, downright preposterous. Whoever heard of gathering seven little balls of crystal and then speaking a name to get wishes granted?

"I'm sure," Bulma replied, "What do you think Frieza was on Namek for? He was after their set of these so he could wish for immortality!"

 _How frightening THAT would be,_ Kale thought. So that was what he'd meant...

"Well, go ahead! Isn't this what you've been waiting for?"

 _Deep breathing..._

"By your name, Shenron, I summon you!"

It felt so stupid to say, and for the brief second that nothing happened Kale felt like an utter fool. But then there was a flash, and the sky turned dark-and from the orbs rose the ever-expanding length of a dragon. She stood watching in absolute shock as the glow slowly faded.

"Oh my...gods..."

"I am the Eternal Dragon Shenron. Speak your wish, and I will grant it."

 _You really think that this will help?_

"I...I want to be twenty-eight again. Can you do that?"

"Such a wish is within my power."

"Then I wish to be restored to the age of twenty-eight!"

There was a glow and a gasp. The dragonballs vanished and Kale turned, realizing that Bulma had made the noise.

"Your hair!" she said, pointing.

The joy that Kale felt on seeing her long hair returned was such that she was almost ashamed of feeling it. It was only hair, after all.

 _No. It was much more than that._

"Thank you!" she said, hugging Bulma, "You have no idea...no idea...what this means to me."

 _I can have those years back now. I can...I can do what I want with them..._

"I can guess," came the quiet reply, before a smile decked her face, "...now why don't we get back to my party?"

* * *

Kale went over it all in her head again. Kuriza had left to tend to, well, his new position as a leader. She had chosen to stay on Earth, well...

...because she never wanted to see the inside of one of those ships again. She never even wanted to hear the word "PTO" again, much less go back to those women who, despite all their niceness, had only served to remind her that she'd been a tyrant's slave. She was barely able to keep going, but somehow she kept managing to get through the day.

 _Still can't even **think** my name, can you, pet?_

She shivered. There was something...more sinister about that voice, than there was about the other two. The first seemed content to berate her for one thing or another, the second popped up rarely, and in her dark moments to encourage her to keep going...but that third voice was something else entirely. Whenever she heard it, it was as if he were right next to her, speaking to her like he used to.

"Mom?"

Kale shook her head, and smiled as Borea approached. "Yes?"

"Wow, you look..."

 _Like you did before you became his whore? It doesn't change a damn thing._

"...different?"

"Yes. But let's go on into the other room, it's a bit too warm out here for me."

"Alright, alright."

They walked into the next room, and Borea headed in Goku's direction, while Kale went over to the buffet table-right behind Vegeta.

"Where were you?"

He hadn't spoken to her yet since her arrival on the planet, and to hear him doing it now was odd, but she managed to reply in a disinterested tone, "What do you mean?"

"When the planet was destroyed, where were you? I was under the impression that Kakorot, myself, and those two dead nitwits were the only survivors."

"On Cooler's ship."

"I see. And _after_ that?"

 _He's judging you._

 _Why does he need to ask?_ Kale thought, _Isn't the situation painfully obvious?_

"...I think that much is obvious." She looked down at the table and finished filling her first plate.

He said nothing more as he headed off to find someplace to sit. Kale shook her head and took a seat at the nearest table. Everyone else looked harmless enough, but...

 _You're scared of them, aren't you?_

 _How pathetic!_

 _I don't know them that well_ , she thought, _I need to figure them out first._

After eating she got back up and was on the point of leaving to have a breath of fresh air when Bulma approached her. "Something wrong?"

"Too many people in one room," Kale replied quickly.

"You just need to relax a bit. I have just the thing!"

Bulma pulled out a bottle, grinning.

"Oh, I see what you mean...really, you don't have to..."

"A little liquid courage never hurt anyone. Just let me get the cork out." Bulma struggled with it, but got it out, and stood for a moment, letting the wine breathe.

"It...it's a good year, isn't it?"

 _Why am I afraid?_

"Oh yes, very old stuff, my father doesn't indulge much but when we have company he likes the occasional glass of...are you alright?"

* * *

"Really, you're wasting a wine like that on me?" she smiled weakly, and watched as he filled her glass.

"Do you think that I would give you anything less?" A rich cloud of alcoholic scent washed onto her face as he drew closer; his breath was absolutely flooded with it.

"You really don't have to."

"Oh, but I do..." there was a leer as he handed her the glass. "Now drink. You should be enjoying these perks, not passing them over."

* * *

"Kale? Kale?"

She shook her head and looked back up. "Sorry, I just..."

"You kind of blanked out there for a minute. Are you not feeling well?"

"I'm fine...it's just a headache."

 _I think it's much more than that, my dear._

"Well, alright, but...go sit down or something. People don't need to pass out at _my_ parties for them to be fun, no matter what those idiots in HR say!" Bulma laughed, and filled Kale's cup before heading off to talk to Chi-Chi.

 _Drink, pet._

Kale stood staring into the glass, and took a deep breath. It was only wine. Why the hell was this so hard?

She froze when a familiar sensation skirted across the back of her hand, looked up-

-and directly into his eyes.

Frieza, in his final form, was standing right in front of her.

"How..."

She was too scared to move. How could he be here? She had seen him die. She had WATCHED IT HAPPEN. How...how could he still be haunting her like this?

He was smiling, and moved her hand up so that the rim of the glass touched her lips.

 _Drink. It will dull the ache._

Shaking, she obeyed, and took a long sip.

 _Good girl. See, I take care of you well enough, don't I? Do you think I would simply stop? You need me too much for me to do such a thing._

"You're not real," she said under her breath, "You're dead. You're not really here."

 _Do you really believe that?_

"Hey!"

Kale suddenly jolted, and when she looked up again Frieza was gone. She turned towards the speaker, heart racing.

"Oh! Um...I'm sorry, I think I've forgotten your name."

"It's Krillin," the bald man said, "And I hope you're not too mad at my saying this, but it's sure nice to have someone around who I don't have to look up at. I was just talking to Piccolo, and boy is my neck sore!"

She laughed weakly, but latched onto the new topic with all the effort she could muster. "...nice to meet you then, Krillin. And...yes, I can understand that problem. Borea's growing like a weed and I'm starting to have the same problem!"

"A hazard of being short, I guess. But you get used to it. So tell me, what's it like cutting your age back 23 years?"

"...to be honest, I don't feel too much different than I did before I made that wish. Aside from my hair coming back, not a lot is different."

 _Nothing is different._

"Well, I just wanted to say it's nice to have another woman around here that isn't Bulma or Chi-Chi."

"It sure is! Heh!"

Kale jumped when she felt a sudden squeeze on her backside, and instantly whipped around to face...an old man.

"Master Roshi, you can't just go around doing that! She's a saiyan, you're lucky she didn't knock your block off or something!"

"It's fine," she said quickly, taking a couple steps away, "Er...pleasure to meet you then, Mr. Roshi?"

"Pleasure indeed!" there was a wide grin, and she rolled her eyes as she noted his eyes moving lower. "And I didn't do it on purpose, I had a cramp in my hand! Damned arthritis!"

 _There's one in every crowd, isn't there?_

"Excuse me, I...I have to-go..." She scuttled off quickly.

"Thanks a lot!" Krillin grumbled.

"What? She's pretty hot, I had to give it a try!"

"You do not just go up and...you know what, nevermind. I'm not even going to bother."

* * *

Kale went to bed that night in silence. Bulma was allowing her to stay there at Capsule Corp, along with Borea, mainly due to the girl's puberty-induced wildly fluctuating temperature needs. Borea could be out of their rooms for a few hours at a time, but she was developing a tendency toward apparently random hot flashes or cold sweats, and it had to be swiftly dealt with by quickly moving her to a sufficiently warm or cool place.

Selling off all the jewelry Bulma didn't want had made her a tidy sum, and she was looking around at houses so as to get out of her hair, as it were, but...but she had to think about her daughter's needs.

 _And, of course, you don't want to be alone, do you?_

She tried to shut her eyes as she pulled the covers up to her chest. No, she didn't, but...but things were going to be better now. She was free, she no longer had to worry about what Frieza would think of things. She could relax.

 _Do you **really** want me gone?_

She looked up to see him standing in the corner of the room, and cringed. "Go away."

 _I'm afraid I can't do that._

"Why not?"

 _Because._

She blinked, and suddenly he was standing beside the bed, leaning over her.

 _What would you be without me?  
_


	19. Old Familiar Sting

I can tell that they all know.

And knowing that they know...it makes me worry. All these friendly smiles, all this kindness and warmth, it's all got to be fake. I wouldn't trust me.

I don't know how to deal with them! What do they want? What am I supposed to do to keep them happy so they don't turn on me?

* * *

When Borea's condition worsened, Kale was terrified. Half because she was worried for her daughter's health, and half because of that nasty feeling of knowing what had to be done. It'd been a few weeks and it was getting bad enough that Borea could barely leave the carefully temperature-controlled rooms for even a few minutes before growing faint from even the most moderate heat. At the same time, her tolerance of cold air dipped as well-as it was discovered, she had an extremely small window of comfort and leaving that four degree window left her overheated or practically hypothermic.

So when Kuriza called the next time, as he usually did at least once a week, Kale started to detail the symptoms.

"Ah, I had a feeling this might happen," he said, "Let me guess, she has a very small comfort zone?"

"Yes."

He sighed, "This is an unfortunate side effect of changelings interbreeding with warmblooded people. It's something I've found out talking to grandfather's other children. The body is able to deal with having the temperature regulation issue pretty well during childhood...but then comes the hormone storm of puberty, and it throws the entire system out of whack. Some of them were hospitalized for a good number of their years. His eldest of that group-Gavi's son-lived in a medical bay for a solid three years."

"That poor boy." Not that it made her own situation any easier...in fact, it only made her worry more.

"Thankfully, the doctors there know what they're doing. And...far be it from me to tell you what to do, heaven knows father did that enough, but I think it would be best if Borea came back for a while and got into treatment."

"How long?"

"We don't know. But we do know that the longer you let it go on and do nothing for it, the worse it will get."

Let Borea leave?

 _Let her go._

 _I can't just..._ Kale thought, but she bit her lip and looked back up. "I won't be able to go with her. I want to, Kuriza, but...but I can't set foot on that planet again."

"I understand. Do you trust me to take care of her?"

"How could I not?" Kale found herself laughing somewhat bitterly. The sad truth was that, while Kuriza did not visit very often, he still kept in contact with Borea far more frequently than Frieza had, and had devoted a lot of time to actually keeping a line of communication open with his younger sister.

"I'll be there as soon as I can, then."

"Thank you. Really...thank you."

* * *

Borea, of course, had gone.

At first she had said, she would get over it, she always did, right? Kuriza had glanced at the weather forecast for what was a humid summer day, and said, "Go outside." When she hesitated, she grumbled and left with him, promising to call frequently.

Kale spent a couple days mostly in her room, and was coming out to get something to eat when Bulma appeared from around the corner.

"I've been looking for you!"

She jumped slightly. "Yes?"

"Do you have some time to kill?"

"I guess...why?"

"Good, we're going out, then!"

"Out? Where? Why?"

"Oh, come on, haven't you ever had a girl's night out? No, wait, don't answer that." Bulma motioned for Kale to follow her.

"Is it a good idea to go out like that?"

"Oh, don't worry, you're stronger than anyone who might give us trouble."

"Well-alright."

They'd gone to what looked like a fairly nice place, although Kale still felt iffy on any bar that was on a building's roof.

"So," Bulma asked, "What will you be having?"

"Anything but wine," she repeated automatically.

 _What, can you only drink wine when you're with him?_

"Hmm...oh, I know, a martini, then! Those are always fun. Bartender! Two martinis!"

"So...why'd you drag me out here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I think you need to have a bit of fun." Bulma flashed a smile. "Plus, it's a great way to meet a few people. A few...normal people, you know."

"I guess normal's good." Kale managed a laugh and took a sip from the glass when their drinks were handed over. "Thank you, by the way. I'm...not really used to going out like this. Not with a normal person, anyway, as you'd say."

"No? We'll have to do this more often, then. Especially now that you have some extra time, I know it's been really hard on you, with...you know. Is she going to be alright?"

"Her brother has sent her off to some doctors who have handled the condition before, I'm sure she's going to be fine. He wouldn't let his little sister get bad off."

"Wow, he really is nothing like his father then."

"You could say he fell about as far from the tree as was possible."

 _Give him time._

"How'd that happen? I mean, Frieza can't have been a good dad."

"He really wasn't...in fact, Kuriza was mostly taken care of by...minions, I guess, until I was assigned to care for him. I think he was seven or eight when that happened. I got to do the hard work for the next five years."

"Well that stinks. But look at it this way. You're young again and your daughter's almost grown. You can actually have some fun now!"

"I get the idea that you don't want children," Kale said, smiling briefly over the edge of her glass.

"It's not that I don't want them," Bulma replied, finishing her martini and promptly requesting another one, "It's that I'm not really ready for them. I want to live it up a bit, you know, especially after that whole thing on planet Namek. Makes a girl realize that she needs to have a little fun now and then."

"You became very aware of your mortality, and decided to take more joy in life, in other words?"

"Yes, that, exactly that!"

"I guess I should do the same. It's been a long time since I've had the freedom to make my own choices."

"Right, but let's not think about that. Dwelling on it isn't going to make it go away."

Kale finished her martini and smiled briefly. Bulma was right, of course. She probably had been dwelling on it a little too much, especially since Borea had left.

Are you really going to listen to such foolishness?

She shook her head.

"How about we try something new? What do you want to try?"

"I don't know...what do you recommend?"

"Hm, strawberry daiquiris are what I started off on, they're pretty sweet. Bartender?"

"On it, Ms. Briefs," the bartender chirped as he set to work making the drink.

 _Do you remember when I got you drinks like that?_

Kale froze and looked to the end of the bar.

No. No, I'm seeing things.

Frieza was sitting there, absently drinking from a wine glass.

 _I asked a question, you know._

You never did., Kale thought, turning her attention to the daiquiri in front of her. "It looks more like those flavored ice desserts than anything else."

"Oh, it might look like dessert, but...you know what? I'm not going to spoil it for you, just go ahead and drink it."

She did, and found herself smiling. "Very...sweet. What's in it, exactly?"

"Trade secret," The bartender said, laughing, "Rum, of course."

 _How could you not remember?_

 _Leave me alone_ , Kale thought.

 _I'll just have to remind you._

 _Go away._

"Wow, finished it already. Looks like you might have a new favorite."

Kale looked down, confused, at the empty glass. Had she been drinking the whole time she was having that mental conversation?

 _You always could finish a drink faster than me. I suppose it's my fault for spoiling you like I did._

The night went on.

They had ended up asking for a bottle of the rum that had gone into the daiquiri. Between the two of them (though mostly Kale) and a lot of increasingly giggly talking, they'd drunk it all over the course of five hours or so.

"I can't believe we finished the whole thing!" Bulma said, laughing.

"Oh, come on, wasn't...that big of a deal..." Kale answered, "...beside, I spilled a couple shots. Now I smell like it..."

"You'd smell like it anyway, considering how much of it we just drank."

"I guess we should head back, you know, before..."

"Aw, but..." Bulma muttered as she tried to get up. "...d'you think you could help me out here?"

"Sure."

As Kale was helping Bulma to her feet, she heard a slurred voice.

 _Oh, joy._

"Heyyyyy, ladies! How'd you two like t'come to a party?"

"Buzz off," Kale said, pulling one of Bulma's arms across her shoulders in an attempt to get her properly vertical.

"I mean, sure, you're a bit short, but I can think of a few things you can-"

She growled and punched him in the face. "Make one more crack about my height and the next one is going squarely in your-"

"Fuck you, you stuck-up bitch!"

 _You should kill him for that._

"You know what, I don't have time for you," she said, walking past the guy, with Bulma muttering random insults at him under her breath.

"You got blood all over my shirt, you-"

What happened in the next few seconds was a blur, but she could distinctly recall dealing a swift blow to his pelvic area and his then producing the girliest scream she'd heard in years.

"Oh, boy, sounds like that hurt..." Bulma said, laughing. "...hope you didn't break anything."

"Oh, I didn't hit anything vital," Kale said, smirking, "Though he might want to forget about having children for a while."

 _Not killing, just enough to make them suffer. I always did like that about you._

Bulma called a cab and they got back to Capsule Corp in relative calm-in fact, halfway there, Bulma fell asleep.

 _Usually you're the one who falls asleep._

Why are you even still here? she thought.

 _Because you would miss me if I left._

"That's a bullshit answer and you know it," she said under her breath.

* * *

"Bullshit."

"Such a filthy mouth. And here I thought I'd taught you better than that."

"You weren't calling it filthy when I got rid of that idiot for you a few days ago."

"Yes, well, that was amusing to watch, despite that you took an absurd amount of time to do so. We have places to be."

"That may be," she grinned darkly and traced circles around the rim of her glass, "But I know you're always ready to enjoy someone else's suffering."

"That's my girl."

* * *

Kale snapped back to reality with a sudden sharp breath. Where had that come from? She didn't remember that ever happening.

 _Don't you?_

"Capsule Corp, up ahead on our left," the cab driver said. "And before you reach for your wallet, Ms. Briefs already paid ahead of time."

"Really?"

"You must be a new friend of hers. Yeah, she, as lawyers would say, puts us on retainer. Pays us something every year so she has a ride home on nights like this."

"And she requires one a lot?"

"Not a lot, but she doesn't like taking chances. Guess a lot of punks have tried things around her."

* * *

She wouldn't exactly call it a headache.

It was more like someone had sawn off the top of her head and poured in pure agony, then sewn it back on with fishing line and a rusty needle. Everything ached like hell and burned like an infection simultaneously.

Good morning.

He was at the end of her bed again, wearing that same old smirk.

"I'm not dealing with you right now." she muttered, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

 _Avoiding me? That's not going to make it go away._

"What the hell do you even mean?" she was too much in pain to even snap at him for not being real. All she wanted right now was aspirin, which she quickly found in the bathroom cabinet.

 _Have you really forgotten that much?_

"I haven't forgotten anything. Stop trying to make me think about things that never happened." She took the aspirin and sat back down on the bed with her eyes closed, rubbing her temples. "Ugggh..."

 _If you'd only cooperate, this would go a lot easier._

"What do you want me to do this time?" Kale laughed, "Leave. You don't own me anymore." Perhaps she was still drunk, she thought. She could certainly never remember having that kind of bravery at any point in the past.

When she got up, he was right in front of her, arms crossed.

 _That hurt._

"Get used to it."

His eyes narrowed.

 _I own you now, just as I did then. Things were so much better when you accepted and understood that fact. Or don't you remember that either?_

"Nothing was ever better with you," she said, heading out of her room and into the hallway. It was nearly noon, but she was sure there'd be something to snack on in Bulma's fridge.

 _Nothing, hmm? The luxuries you enjoyed don't count? I made your life so easy once you understood your place._

"I didn't." She put her hands over her ears. "Go away already."

 _I would never leave what belongs to me._

She could almost feel breath on her ear when he spDo you hear me? again, and it sent a sobering chill through her body.


	20. Learn To Walk

The first time that Bulma suggested Kale go out on a date, she received a flat refusal to do so.

After a brief period of not knowing what to do with herself, Kale had finally gotten a few things squared away. She'd managed to get a job as a self-defense instructor at Capsule Corp. after an incident involving an assault on premises. Bulma had then decided that defense classes would be mandatory for all employees, and set her up with the job.

It was strange to be working at something so normal, and yet so meaningful, but she'd gotten used to it. The idea of adding a complication like dating to the hopeful-yet-uncertain mix seemed like a recipe for disaster.

 _You wouldn't want to be unfaithful to me, now would you?_

The voice had drifted in with the same thought every time she said no, until finally she got angry enough at it the next time it happened to ask, "Did you have someone in mind?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Nice guy, I think you'll like him."

"...you really didn't have to," she said, smiling weakly, "I mean, I don't need help getting a date..."

 _Ha, ha, ha...oh, that's a good one._

"Oh, it's a surprise. But you'll be pleased, I swear."

"If you say so."

* * *

She could still barely believe that Bulma had sent her to a karaoke bar. "Look for a guy wearing all white, it'll be obvious since it's the nicest outfit he owns" she'd said. Well, wearing all white couldn't be that hard to spot, could it?

And he was, though more for his huge hat than anything else. Right at the bar, drinking something the bartender had just handed him.

"Er," she said, taking the stool next to him, "I'm guessing you're the guy Bulma set me up with?"

"...Kale?"

She looked over and practically fell out of her seat, but recovered enough to say, "Um, Krillin, wasn't it?"

"Uh...yeah," he took his hat off and set it in his lap. "Let me guess, she pestered you about going out as much as she did me?"

"You've got that right." She smiled weakly, "Kept saying what a nice guy you were."

"I guess I don't have any better qualities for her to push, so she went with that?"

 _Someone weaker than you. You're more like me than you want to admit._

"So...uhm..." Kale paused, "...I guess this is the part where I ask you about yourself?"

"Well, there's not really a lot to talk about."

"How about we go back and forth asking questions, that way no one feels awkward talking about themselves for too long?"

 _Why would he want to hear anything about you?_

"Okay, but you start," he said, laughing nervously. "I mean...I'll ask first, and you start by answering. Uhm, let's see here...how are you finding Earth?"

"I think it's pretty nice. Still getting used to being in a crowded city though. My last place of residence was...well, there weren't too many people there."

"I guess you lived on a base or something, like Vegeta?"

"You could say that," she replied quickly, "Now, I guess it's my turn. Let's see...gosh, this is a lot harder than I thought. I've never actually dated before. What's with the hat?"

"It came with the outfit, and I thought it looked pretty cool. Been a while since I shopped for clothes, and I've never had this nice a suit before."

"Well, I think it looks pretty good on you. Or it will, until you spill something on it."

"Hey, that's not fair..."

Kale couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry. Your turn."

"Got any pets?"

* * *

"You don't have any other pets, do you?"

"Now why would I need any others when you provide more amusement than I know what to do with?" He smirked, lifting her chin. "Remember that. Where my father has six, I have only _you_. You should be glad you don't have to share my attention."

"I am," she replied with a weak smile.

* * *

"No," she said. Her hands immediately started shaking, and she automatically downed the rest of her drink to stop it. "I...I've never had one. Change of subject, who's your best friend?"

"Oh, Goku, without a doubt," Krillin said quickly, "Funny story, I'm the reason he was able to beat Frieza."

"How's that?"

"Well, you saw that golden hair thing Goku did, right? That's called super saiyan."

"Go on." She remembered hearing about the legends back on Planet Vegeta, but actually seeing one...well, had her curious to hear how it had happened.

"I'm still not sure what happened, but Gohan says he got really, really angry, and his hair turned gold...and...well, it went from there. Wish I could have done more in the fight, but hey, them's the breaks. Goku always was the stronger of us."

"Done more? You mean you fought him?" She couldn't restrain her astonishment. Krillin couldn't be that strong, and he'd had the guts to try to fight Frieza?

 _Isn't it sad that a mere human has more bravery than you?_

"Well...kind of," Krillin said, laughing. "He thought I was dead, I tossed a ki blast at him and cut off part of his tail, he got ticked...and chased after me."

"How were you not scared as hell?!"

"I was! But...well, he cornered me..."

"Yeah...?"

"And I used the solar flare. It's...hard to explain, but basically it makes you blind for a bit."

"Like a literal one might."

The next few hours went like that, and before she knew it, it was time to be heading back. Despite how much she was actually enjoying herself.

"Oh, geez," she said, looking at her watch. "Is it eleven already? I really hate to run, but I start work at nine in the morning, and if I'm going to be conscious, I need to get going."

"You're just saying that to get out of here faster," Krillin replied, with yet another laugh.

 _Anyone who laughs that much must have something wrong with them._

"Next time we're here, we should actually try the karaoke, I've heard it's an interesting thing."

"You've never sung karaoke?!"

"Nope."

"You've got to, then. There's no two ways about it, you'll love it."

"Well, same time next Friday then?"

"See you then."

* * *

When she got back to Capsule Corp, Kale couldn't help but smile, and the good mood was so contagious she went looking for Bulma.

"Mrs. Briefs?" she asked, puzzled as to why the blonde woman was watering an outdoor sunflower at nearly midnight. "Is Bulma still up?"

"Oh! Yes, dear, she is. Don't keep her up too late with your girl talk, though, okay? She's in the lab with her father."

"Sure," Kale replied, "I won't." She headed down the hallway, still wearing a smile. It had gone well. She hadn't completely crashed and burned and ruined the entire thing. That she had managed to get through that...memory, or whatever it was, without completely freaking out, made her feel so proud of herself.

 _And what about me? Hmm?_

Again, the feeling of a whisper in her ear. She swatted at it and then absently tucked her hair back.

 _Can you so easily forget the man who took care of you for so long?_

Kale cringed briefly when she noticed him walking beside her.

"Watch me," she said, with a wavering voice, "There is nothing you can do to stop me anymore."

 _There's **plenty** I can do._

She was never so happy to see the door leading to the lab as she was right then, and knocked once before entering. "Bulma? Your mom said you were in here!"

"In the back!" she called. "Don't mind the TV, dad's just catching up on a rerun of his favorite show! Or rather, he's just listening to it."

As Kale neared, she noticed a small aquarium set up against the wall. Dr Briefs' cat, from the top of his head-and, for some reason, a spotted frog, who was sitting on the lab table-were both watching it intently. Then she turned her attention to Bulma.

"So? How did it go?"

"It went...pretty well, actually. You could have told me it was Krillin, you know!"

"What? Did you not like him?"

"Well, I did, it was just...I don't know. But we were both happy with it."

"Are you going out again?"

"Yes. He seems to think I need to sing karaoke."

"Oh my god. Well at least that'll keep you from hearing _him_ sing."

"He can't be that bad...anyway, what is this you two are watching in here? Oh, a medieval show?" Kale glanced down at the television.

"You want to know something funny, it's Vegeta's favorite, too..."

On the screen a man even shorter than Krillin was facing another, normal-sized man with dark hair. "And Lady Stark is not your mother. Making you...the bastard."

The dark-haired man didn't seem able to respond, and looked away from the first.

"Let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you."

* * *

"My dear, I'm merely stating my surprise at your having spared him."

"He wanted me to react. Calling me a whore was the best way he could think to do it."

"And you weren't incensed by that?" he seemed so amused by her unconcerned reaction, and she couldn't figure out why.

"Yes, but it does not bother me. I am what he says I am."

"You wear that fact like you used to wear that armor. Almost...almost like you're _proud_ of it," he replied, pulling her close and muttering against her throat. "I'm glad you finally see things my way."

* * *

"Kale? You alright?"

"An interesting show," she replied suddenly, "Anyway, I just wants to say that I'm heading to bed. Thanks for setting me up." She headed off, once more starting to shake. That had never happened, so why was she seeing it?

 _It happened._

"It didn't," she snapped, walking faster. "Stop it."

 _How could you forget being so content with what I gave you?_


	21. The Loss

"It's been a while, Borea. How...how have you been?"

Kale was trying to smile, she really was, but the sight of her daughter in a hospital gown was not encouraging. Even worse was the catheter sticking out of the neckline of her gown. Had things really gotten that bad? 

"Okay. Had a bad spell a week ago when the room's computer panel went on the blink and the temperature controls of the room totally broke. Kuriza really tore them a new one over that! I ended up getting all kinds of medication and...and it just wasn't fun. If I wasn't too hot, I was too cold, it felt like I was constantly going back and forth. I just...couldn't get comfortable." Borea was smiling, albeit a bit weakly. 

"Are you...are you doing better now?" 

"Oh, yes. But they keep wanting me to be careful...so I haven't been allowed outside yet. It's winter out there." She sighed, and then looked back up. 

"And how...how else are you being treated? They're not saying anything untoward, are they?" 

"Aside from one of grandfather's bastards-" 

"Borea, that's not a nice thing to call them." 

"Well, they do it. They revel in it, they say being a bastard's way better than actually being legitimate, no need to worry about high expectations and the pressure of ruling. All the benefits and none of the weight." 

"Well, still." 

"Alright, fine. But anyway, I met the only girl of his children, and it was...it was kind of nice. She's the numbers sort, and has this job in the financial segment of the PTO. Kept saying if I didn't go back to Earth with you, and I had a head for numbers, I could always be a desk jockey like her." 

"I guess we should start talking about your future. What do you want to do?" 

"I...don't know yet, honestly. Not be a soldier, that's for sure. You always made it sound miserable." 

"Well...it's not really a pleasant job." 

"Borea?" came a sudden voice, "I'm just here with a message from Lord-oh, who is that you're speaking with?" 

A reptilian nurse had appeared, and wandered over, leading an IV bag on a pole as she did so. "Lady Calla, it has been a while, has it not?" 

Lady Calla? 

_She says that name like I should know it..._

"Y-yes," Kale replied quickly, not wanting to think any further on it, "Has my daughter been behaving herself?" 

"Aside from opening her window on a cold day, yes."

"It was warm in here..." 

"You have to learn to use the controls instead of the window. It's too cold outside and the sudden shift could cause problems," the nurse chided gently, "Silly girl. I remember a few years ago, when you had a minor issue like this, had to stay here for a while. You were so much trouble then." 

"Well it was _boring_ in here, and mother wasn't available all the time!" 

"Borea...I guess I'll let you go. Looks like you might be busy." Kale said. 

"Alright, then. Oh, and tell your bald friend I said hello!" 

She couldn't help but turn red. How had she found out?! 

"Come, Borea," said the nurse, "You need to be lying down for this medication. Don't worry, it won't take long." 

The screen flickered off. 

That name still stuck in Kale's head, though. 

Why had the nurse used it like that? She could never remember even _hearing_ it before... 

* * *

A third date was completely unexpected. The last time, the Friday that she and Krillin had agreed on. It had gone well, of course, but she could see why Bulma had warned her about his singing. She hadn't had the heart to tell him how awful he sounded, and in any case she was well-versed in false compliments, which she naturally showered him with. 

This time, she had chosen the place, with absolutely no karaoke machines within a few blocks. A quiet restaurant. 

_I would never have made a fool of myself as he did._

She shook it off as she stepped in and over to the table they'd made reservations for. "Sorry I'm late," she said quickly, "Borea called about half an hour ago...and we were talking for a while." But something had been different. Borea was far quieter than she had been in previous talks, and she wasn't sure what was causing it. She looked decently healthy. What could it be? 

_Maybe it's just her being a teenager._

"Is she okay?" 

"For now." Kale sighed, trying to stifle that rising panic. 

_Not again_. 

"Not out of the woods yet, huh...that must be rough." 

"One of the only things he ever gave her, and it could be the thing that kills her. I would laugh if I weren't so worried." she shook her head, and looked back up at him, "Are we still going to play that questioning game, or did you get everything you wanted to know about me on the last date?" 

Date. It seemed to sound...heavier when she said it. How odd it felt to say it, and actually not be scared of it. 

"We might ask a few more this time, but I don't think we need to worry anymore about that. We'd probably forget half of what we said to each other anyway, am I right?" 

"Yeah...so, you wanted something a little quieter this time, huh?" 

Krillin laughed. "You could say that." 

There was an awkward pause, and Kale looked away. "I'm sorry...I'm...really not good at this. I haven't exactly been on a lot of dates." 

_  
Wasn't it just so much easier when you were told what to do, my dear?  
_

As much as she hated to admit it, he was right, of course. 

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, you're only the second girl I've gone out with more than once, so...I'm not that great at this either." 

"Really? A nice guy like you? I'd think it would be easy for you to get dates!" 

"Yeah...two things though, my height, and being nice. Most women prefer men they can look up to. Literally." 

"And the being nice? Why would _that_ deter women?" 

"Well, a lot of women like forceful guys who take charge and aren't that considerate." 

"You can count me as not being one of those women then," Kale said. They paused briefly to order food and then she went on. "I like being able to look you directly in the face instead of having to look up at you. And I find your niceness...well...nice. But you aren't too nice, either. Like, say, Bulma's mom. That's just unnatural." 

"Yeah, we all kind of wonder about her, but it doesn't hurt anyone and she's always smiling so I guess it works out for her dad." 

The conversation went on as did the next two hours. Kale found she was actually enjoying herself more and more. He made no demands of her. He had no hard words if she didn't absolutely love something he was talking about. It almost ashamed her to feel so much happiness over the fact that he had yet to say anything horrible to her. 

_Yet._

And that made her feel even worse. 

She shook her head and pushed the feeling aside. By the time the meal was over she was feeling happier than she had in a while. She had _chosen_ to go out. She had chosen to be here, with him, and it had not fallen down around her.

* * *

"So how did it go?" 

"Oh, just great," Kale replied, "No pressure at all from him. It's..." 

"Nice?" Bulma asked, "I can imagine so. He's grown up quite a bit since I first met him. After that last girlfriend of his we were all kind of worried about him. So...did he kiss you yet?" 

"Um, no. No, he didn't. Why would he? This is only the third date." Once more she found herself blushing. 

"It's practically a _law_ for a kiss to happen on the third one, though...maybe you can go for it next time, it'd probably shock the heck out of him." 

"No, no...I think...I think I'll just leave it up to him," Kale said quickly, "Besides, it was a lunch date, I don't think that even really counts." 

"You know, you're right. Good thinking." 

"See, I am getting used to this place." she smiled briefly, and headed back to her room. Borea would probably be asleep at the moment, but that didn't mean that she couldn't send her a few messages anyway. 

She gave her emails a cursory glance first-reminding herself to start marking things as junk later, and then logged on to see if Borea was also on. And to her surprise, she was. 

"Hey there," she said, when she saw her daughter's face appear, "Are you feeling any better?" 

"No." 

The answer was...curt, to say the least. 

"Borea, what's wrong? Are you too hot? Too cold?" 

"No." 

Again, a short answer. What was going on? 

"Borea, tell me, what's going on? This isn't like you." 

"I might ask you to tell me what's going on, too, you know." 

"What? About me dating?" 

"This has NOTHING to do with that!" Borea burst out. Energy crackled around her and she glared, hard. 

"Then...then what is it?" Kale found herself shaking. Narrowed eyes... _his eyes_... 

"Did you think I was stupid?" 

"What?" 

"That I wouldn't figure it out?" 

"Please tell me what you mean," came the wavering reply. "Borea, please tell me." 

"I happened to look through your PTO records today." 

"All of them?" 

"All of them." 

The look that Borea was giving her was absolutely crushing. Like she was being looked down on like a piece of trash. 

What had she found? 

"I knew that father was bad. I knew that, that was easy to figure out. But you...you! I thought you were different!" 

"I am! I am." 

"Then explain _Lady Calla_. Explain visiting planets with father and leaving an empty husk behind you. Explain...explain your reputation!" She was in tears now, and Kale was both confounded and horrified. 

"My...my reputation?" 

"His living death beam. He points, you kill. He speaks, you obey. Entire cities gone for nothing more than his-and YOUR! YOUR!-amusement! So many notes on your entries. You laughing. You enjoying it." 

"Borea, I don't-" 

"I thought you were different," she said again, "I thought...I thought..."

"Borea, I'm not like that. I would never..." 

"Don't sit there and LIE TO ME! There's video footage of it left and right from his scouter! You're..." 

_No. Gods, no, please don't say..._

"You're just like him." 

Kale's heart dropped and she started babbling as quickly as she could. "No, Borea, I'm not. You...you have to believe me...I never _wanted_ to..." 

"I don't want to hear any excuses. I don't want to even think about them. Don't...don't even try to call me anymore. Alright? I never want to see you again!" 

_Click._

"But I...I don't even...remember..." 

Kale buried her face in her hands and started sobbing. This wasn't fair. 

_What am I going to do without her?_

_  
Don't cry, my dear. You may have lost her, but you'll always have me._


	22. Notions of Dignity

Author's Note: Gets very, _very_ dark here, people, just to warn you..

* * *

Kale was much quieter after that day. She still worked, still ate, still shopped... 

But it was with nowhere near the animation that she had previously shown, and there were many days where she would lie in bed staring at the ceiling and wondering... 

_Why am I even still trying?_

Were it not for her job and not wanting to disappoint anyone, she often thought...well, she wasn't sure what she'd do. 

Kuriza sent a message a week or two later, promising to try and smooth things over, but warning that it might take a while. 

_Such a nice boy_ , Kale thought, smiling sadly.

* * *

Needless to say, it didn't work. October, then November passed away without a single message from Borea, and only a handful from Kuriza. 

Dates happened, and I pasted on a smile for Krillin but as December began to go by... 

...I started seeing Frieza every day, sometimes for an hour or two at a time. Then it was multiple times a day and for longer periods. 

What is wrong with me?

* * *

"Why are you putting a collar on that cat?" Kale glanced over at the table where the cat was demonstrating the feline mastery of becoming a ragdoll in passive resistance. The spotted frog appeared to be croaking in an odd way at the sight. 

"It's not a collar, it's a universal translator," Bulma said quickly. 

"I don't know, I got done with that last project and I was bored. Got nothing to do today," Dr. Briefs said, "So I thought, why not find out what my constant companion is thinking?" he finished fastening the collar on at that, and then asked, "Well? What are you thinking, little guy?" 

"Food."

It was a one word response and the cat only blinked as he looked up at Bulma, and then Dr. Briefs, who obeyed and brought a little bowl of dry food out for it. Once it was gone he asked, "Anything else on your mind?" 

It pushed its head against his hand. "Pet. Papa. Love." 

"I guess he's just lazy and doesn't have a lot to say," Bulma said, laughing. She took the translator off him and set it aside, while Dr. Briefs smiled and put the cat back on his shoulder. "Such simple pleasures animals have," he said, "Sometimes I envy them, you know." 

"You and me both," Kale said, smiling vaguely. "By the way, what's going on with the trees and the colored bulbs?" 

"Christmas decorations. What, you've never had a Christmas before? No...wait a minute, don't answer that. Well, it's basically a holiday at the end of the year where everyone gets together. Family, friends, all that, you know? We give each other gifts and have nice parties _indoors_ , where it's nice and warm. It can get pretty chilly out there...below zero, in fact." 

"I guess I should buy a winter coat, then." 

"And maybe get Krillin something. No gag gifts, of course." 

"I can think of a few things."

* * *

Krillin had actually asked Kale a few days later what she wanted, and she hadn't really been able to say much besides, "Oh, nothing, really." There was nothing tangible she really wanted. 

What she really wished for the most was an end to the whispers. 

But Christmas came, sooner than she would have liked and with no end to the presence of her now almost-constant companion.

 _Come now, you can hold it together for a few hours, can't you? Didn't I teach you better than this?_

_You're right. I can handle this._

"Good to see you made it in early, Kale," Bulma said, glancing briefly over the wrapped box her friend was carrying. "For Krillin, I'm guessing?" 

"Yes. I'm hoping he'll enjoy it." 

"Well, just put it over there under the tree." 

She nodded and walked over to do so, glancing over the variety of dissimilar, brightly-wrapped boxes and shapes. And looking over the labels, she realized that she'd forgotten to write Krillin's name on her gift. Oh well. It wasn't as if she couldn't tell him which was his. 

"So, is that mine?" 

Krillin's voice sounded off beside her, and he smiled, putting a box no bigger than a large wallet on top of a larger one with "GOKU" written across the entire front of it in a halting, almost primitive-looking scrawl.

"Yeah," she said with a small smile. "Sorry, I forgot to write your name on it." 

"That's fine." 

There was a sudden commotion, and they turned quickly around to look. 

"But Chi-Chi, I was hungry!" 

Goku was being dragged by the ear away from a dining table, while trying to keep his (overfull) plate steady. 

"No one else even had a _chance_ at the food! You're supposed to wait until everyone else has gotten something to eat before you go and completely ransack the table!" 

_What a shrew._

"But Chi-Chi-!" and then his plate fell to the ground. 

He started crying. 

Kale couldn't help but laugh, and she was soon joined by Krillin. 

The next few hours remained light-hearted. Dinner went by without a fuss, although Goku's whining for the first half-hour about having wasted _a whole plate of food_ was a bit annoying. Afterwards everyone gathered around the tree and collected their gifts. 

One a time they were unwrapped. Goku appeared to have gotten a lot of stocking stuffer boxes of various kinds of food; a large garbage barrel sized can of caramel popcorn, and more sweets than a candy shop in a school zone-and, of course, four new gis. Vegeta seemed to get only a slip of paper in an envelope and was pretty happy about it, but when Kale asked later she found that it was a note from Bulma that his precious gravity chamber now went up to 350g. She didn't notice what anyone else got, and was smiling when Krillin picked his up while tearing off the paper. 

"Oh my GOD! A karaoke machine!" 

"Oh my god. A karaoke machine," Bulma said, in a flat monotone. "You've doomed us all." 

"I'll go get the earplugs," Piccolo quipped from the corner, where he was holding another set of weighted clothes. 

"Aw, guys, come on...no mercy," Krillin muttered, "Alright, Kale, open yours." 

She smiled weakly and took the small box, but utterly froze when she unwrapped and open it to reveal... 

A short string of pearls. 

"They're...they're beautiful," she said, smiling weakly, "A bracelet, right?" 

_Please._

_Please._

"I meant it to be a necklace, but...well," Krillin said, "I was getting the pearls myself, you know, and I couldn't find enough for a longer string. Here, let me help you get it on." 

"No, no, I can-" 

Her breath caught in her throat when he took it and put it around her neck, and a second later, she was hyperventilating. 

"Do you like it?" 

There was silence for a few seconds, and she nodded, trying to shake off the feeling of terror. He didn't know. It wasn't his fault. 

"Y-yes...I'm...I'm sorry, I need to..." 

* * *

She'd run out of the room, all the way back to her room and spent the rest of the evening crying. 

_Hush, now...hush..._

_What am I going to do? I can't...I can't keep doing things like that to him, it isn't **fair**..._

_Come back to me, my dear. I can help you more in a day than the rest of these fools ever could in a lifetime._

"Y-you're dead..." She looked up in a haze of tears and saw him sitting there beside her on the bed, absently stroking her hair. 

_I know._

* * *

She couldn't face Krillin, and begged Bulma when she came by later to tell him that she'd gotten sick. 

For the next few days she barely left her room except for work and necessary things like eating. But even then, he was still there. 

He was always there. 

No messages had come from Borea. 

_It's hopeless_ , she thought, _I've lost her. I've completely lost her..._

* * *

Bulma insisted that she come to the New Years' Eve party, though why, Kale couldn't figure out. It seemed to be the same as the Christmas party, only without gifts and different colored decorations. 

"It's just another party," she said mutely when she walked into the room with Bulma. 

"It's going to be a new year soon," Bulma said, "It's a chance to start over! Just what you need!" 

Kale just stuck her hands in the pocket of the hoodie she was wearing, and forced a smile. For most of the evening she stood in one corner downing one beer or another, while, strangely, the spotted frog sat on the table and kept knocking over her glasses. 

As midnight neared, Krillin approached. "Hey," he said quietly. 

"H-hey," she replied slowly, "I'm...I'm sorry I ran off...I just...it's not that I didn't like it, it's..." 

"It's not something I did, is it?" 

"No," she said, shaking her head and spilling a bit of her current drink. "...it's...it's nothing _you_ did...it's just...I don't like...don't like...people touching my neck." 

"Oh, I see. I'll...try and remember that." 

_He must think I'm such an idiot._

"Hey, guuuuyyyyssss..." 

"Whaddya want, Bulma?" Kale asked, looking up bleary-eyed. 

"Look uuuupppp..." 

She and Krillin both did. 

"Oh, Bulma, you knew that would happen, didn't you?" Krillin asked, "Figures. Mistletoe. You're supposed to take those down after Christmas, you know." 

"Come on, you know the rules." 

"What rules?" Kale asked. 

"When you're under mistletoe, you're supposed to kiss whoever you're with." 

"Why not," she said, and unsteadily got up and kissed him.

One hand of his went around her waist, and the other to the back of her neck. 

Silence. 

For once, there was silence. 

"Hey! Krillin! Good work, you finally did it!" Goku's voice rang out. 

Suddenly the hand around her neck clenched. 

His nails dug into the back of her neck, and a second later he drew back.

* * *

Frieza'd taken her from the planet after the beating Borea had overheard and once on the ship had sent her directly to his quarters with three orders. 

She was not to leave those rooms. 

She was not to speak to anyone, and not even to him unless he spoke to her first. 

She was not to meet his eyes. 

And so she entered hell. 

Frieza didn't speak to her at all, and barely touched her aside from when he returned to his quarters at night to torment her in the most sadistic sense of the word. For the first four days the coin came up heads, and she thought it couldn't get worse than that. 

But then the coin came up tails...and it did. 

He made no effort to make her look at him as he had before, but given the void of contact, of any kind of speech whatsoever-she would have been glad even for that. Ki burns and bruises were inflicted on her chest and shoulders, long scratches on her neck...and night after night of pleasure. None of it hers. 

Another two days went by like that, and Kale could feel all resistance crumbling. 

She didn't care anymore about his use of her body. She just wanted... 

...was it too much to ask... 

...for just a little comfort?

When she heard the doors of the quarters open once again on the eighth day, she was trembling. 

Again. 

Frieza was coming back again. 

From where she stood in his bedroom, (having been reading some reports on Borea's school progress on the computer there) she started to panic. _Please_ , she thought, _Please...no more..._

The door to the bedroom _whoosh_ ed open.

The shaking got worse the closer he got. She was surprised when his arms slipped around her. 

"My obedient little pet...tell me...what's wrong?"

One hand went up to her neck and stroked a scratch he'd put there a day or two before.

How pitiful she felt for the gratitude that he'd deigned to speak to her. It was like water to a parched throat, hearing a voice-even _his_ voice. 

"Please..." she said, voice shaking, "...be gentle with me?" 

Frieza turned her around and instinctively she kept her head down; but he lifted her chin so that their eyes met. Such a beautiful sight, he thought. She was teary-eyed, red-faced, and desperate for any scrap of kindness he cared to throw at her. 

"All you had to do was ask."

The tears continued to fall even as he embraced and then kissed her, and he smirked inwardly at how quickly she returned both. 

But Frieza did have to be sure she had broken, and as he drew back he brought one hand up to the side of her neck. His nails dug into the skin, and he said, "But there is one more thing you need to do." 

"Anything." 

_Just don't hurt me anymore_. 

The grip on Kale's neck tightened, and she felt blood welling up as he leaned forward to whisper dangerously in her ear. 

"Say you love me." 

She couldn't restrain the gasp that resulted from hearing him say that. But the slow drip of blood down the side of her neck and his narrow-eyed glare reminded her of what waited if she refused to give him what he wanted, so... 

So she said it.

"I love you." 

Though he was tender with her the rest of the evening, he kept demanding that she utter the words over and over. As a result she could feel nothing but the stinging in her neck and a massive sense of shame. 

And then... 

Nothing.

* * *

"Kale? Kale, are you alright?!" 

She shook her head, and touched her face-there were tears all over her cheeks. 

Krillin and Bulma were both looking at her with the most concerned expressions possible. 

_I can't do this anymore. I...I don't deserve this. I don't deserve any of this._

_Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic._

She ignored Krillin and Bulma's questions and rushed for the door, eager to go...somewhere. Anywhere. She just wanted to run, to get away from those feelings, and memories. 

It was snowing, and below freezing, but Kale didn't care, and took flight as quickly as she could. 

"This isn't the way to fix this," she heard another voice say, "You're better than this." There was a clammy, wet touch on the back of her neck. 

"I can't DO this anymore!" she shouted, "I just want it to stop! I can't...I can't keep going through this. Every time something happens I...I have to see more! I have to remember what he...what I..." 

_There's only one way to escape them, my dear._

"You're right..." she said as an expression of realization crossed her face, "You're absolutely right."


	23. Tu Vas Me Detruire

Author's Note: I HIGHLY suggest skipping this chapter if you have PTSD or have recently lost a friend to suicide. Triggers all over the place here.

* * *

"What are you doing?" came the voice again.

"I'm..." Kale took a deep breath, and shivered, still flying and scanning the ground. Looking for...for what? She wasn't sure. But she was sure she'd know when she found it. "I'm ending this...there's only one way... _one_ way for me to stop seeing these things. To...to stop hearing Frieza...he's been dead for months, and I still seem him, he still..."

 _There, there. You know I only do this for your own good. You still need me. Look, look. There it is, below you._

"Stop!" she shouted, clenching at her temples-and then jolting slightly when the slimy feeling repeated itself on her neck. That was when she felt a pain just above that spot-was something pulling her hair?

Between her drunkenness, arguing with the vision of Frieza, and trying to get to whatever it was that had pulled her hair, she found herself falling. There was a rush of air, and then a crash...

...and a sudden deep chill.

 _I'm underwater..._

 _Take a breath, my dear._

Frieza was there, right in front of her, hand on one side of her face.

His touch was so cold...

* * *

"Your hands are cold," she said, shivering briefly.

"I don't recall you having any complaints about my temperature a few minutes ago." He smirked, taking one of her hands in his own as if trying to draw the heat out of it.

"That's not fair."

"My dear, when have I _ever_ been fair?"

* * *

...so very, very cold...

 _No...no, I don't want to..._

* * *

"See...you've learned to behave now, haven't you?"

"..." Kale shivered slightly and spoke without looking at him, "Yes...yes, I have."

"Will you defy me again?" Her resistance had dropped, was still crumbling in fact, and he intended to savor it for as long as he could.

"No."

Frieza took her head in his hands, ignoring the trembling, and turned her gaze towards him. His eyes were half-closed and he was brimming with satisfaction. She was broken, completely shattered, and the pieces were his to collect and arrange as he pleased. Such a beautiful, delicious moment it was; he found it absolutely intoxicating. "Of course not. Why would you do that to someone you loved?"

She shivered, but made no moves.

"Say it again," he whispered softly, wrapping her in a tight embrace with his nails clenching at her spine.

"I love you," she said automatically.

"Again." Frieza smirked and felt a rush of maddening ecstasy when he realized Kale was waiting to be told what to do; she was on her back as quickly as he could get her onto the bed.

"I love you." It was so very, very easy to say it, to keep telling him what he wanted to hear.

Why?

Why was it so easy?

Through the tears and shame she could find no answer.

He was winning.

He _had won_.

He began to tear away her clothing, and she cringed at each ripping sound; each piece he cast aside felt like a chunk of her soul ripped away in his lust.

"Now," he said, leaning down over her, "Ask me again."

"Be gentle with me?"

There was a pause and he advanced, reveling in the yelp that his thrust forced out of her.

"Please?"

"Good girl."

She gave the pleasure moans he silently demanded with every swift movement, returned every kiss he forced to her lips, and clung to his body as if afraid she would cease to exist without him.

Laid bare amidst the unwilling passion, Kale was trying desperately to cling to the remnants of her fragmented psyche.

* * *

...breathing...she was supposed to be breathing, wasn't she?

 _Breathe like I told you, my dear. You'll come back to me soon._

Kale started to inhale-but heard a shout above her, though it was mostly muffled by the water.

"...NGE...NOW!"

She found herself looking down at her body and wondered...had she really...?

But her body's eyes suddenly opened and swam up, grabbing her-wait, grabbing her?

Kale breathed deep as her body cleared the surface of the water. Her body then powered up, desperately trying to keep warm, before moving swiftly to the water's edge.

"Listen," it slurred, sitting her down in front of it, "Alright?"

There was something... _familiar_...about that voice...

She hardly had the energy to be surprised when she looked down and saw...frog legs?

"Listen here," it said, "Listen. You're...you're stronger than that..."

...where had she heard it before?...

"Gods, how can you _function_ this drunk? You can't just...just give up like this, I won't let you. You're...you're still that saiyan I visited a...a long time ago..."

"That saiyan died in Frieza's bed."

"No...no, she just..." her body heaved slightly, and turned aside to vomit before looking back, "...she just went into hiding..."

...wait, this person, whoever this was...switching bodies...had visited her...

"Ginyu?"

He seemed not to have heard her speak, and went on, still stumbling over the words, "...you...you can beat this, you got...you got people here, people that care about you..."

"I can't go on. I can't...I can't, not when I see him every day, not when he's always there..."

Ginyu leaned over and yanked the translating collar off her, shoving it into the hoodie's front pocket, and Kale found her protests going from clearly enunciated words to uneven croaks.

"You can...you can fix that. You can keep going. Those people back there, they're...they're good people. You don't have to do this alone. That guy, that Krillin, he won't...he won't hurt you like Frieza did, or..."

There was a choked sound.

"...or like I did..."

"Kale?!"

He looked off into the trees. "Hear that...hear that, they're looking for you. Now...now...listen, if I have to do this again, I will. No matter how many times it takes, I'm not going to let you give up."

"Change...now!"

Kale gasped and began to breathe heavily as she returned to her own body. The Ginyu frog moved quickly into the hoodie pocket, but before she could pull it out, Krillin appeared in the tree line.

"You...you really gave me a scare, you know?" he said, "You...you blanked out, and...you don't look good at all."

What words could she possibly give him?

How could she possibly articulate what had happened?

"Look...you can...you can tell me about it." Krillin put a hand on her shoulder and looked down with careful sympathy.

But all she could do was cry.

* * *

Krillin had carried her back, and set her carefully on a stool in the kitchen with Mrs. Briefs before going back out a second later to keep people from asking too many questions.

"You need some tea and cookies, dear," Mrs. Briefs said.

"I...I don't think that'll help," Kale replied. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she still felt absurdly drunk.

"Tea helps everything. Here, there's a cup for you. Go ahead, dearie."

She took it and drank slowly.

"There you go. Here, have a few cookies. Now...you warming up okay?"

"Y-yeah..."

"Darling, really...I know it's not the booze, I can tell something's bothering you. What is it?"

Kale cringed. "I...I can't...talk about it. They'd...I don't think anyone would understand."

"Honey, with all the shit this group gets up to, I don't think anything would surprise them. Or me for that matter." The false smile dropped, and her eyes fully opened.

"I've never heard you...ugh..." Kale looked directly into Mrs. Briefs' dark brown eyes and took a deep breath as a wave of nausea overtook her, "...swear before."

"Oh, honey, I do it all the time. I just take care not to be heard."

"Why not?"

"Everyone can count on me to be the bright, sweet little spot of sunshine. Dim as a post, they think I am."

"But you're not." Kale smiled momentarily, "Are you?"

"Oh, no, no. I have three degrees!"

"Yet you aren't using them. You could probably have had a company like your husband. You could be twice as rich."

"I don't want to be twice as rich. I wanted to be happy." the same perky little smile reappeared. "And I'm happy just being Mrs. Briefs."

"Isn't that kind of backwards on this planet, for women to _want_ to just be someone's wife?"

"Feminism is about choice, my dear. And it's not just being his wife. It's being his rock, his happy little place to go when he feels like a failure at the end of the day because his last five projects blew up in his face."

"That happen often?"

"More than you know! Now tell me...what do _you_ want out of life? Do you want to keeping getting stronger, like Goku does? Do you want to be stronger than him, like Vegeta does?"

"I want...just to be happy. But I don't even know where to start, because-"

The Ginyu frog poked his head out of her hoodie pocket.

"Oh, there you are!" Mrs. Briefs smiled and ran a little water in the sink before placing him in it. "...little sweetie, he runs away a lot. Now, now...well, if you want to be happy, just take your time."

"It's...I don't know if I can explain why I'm having such a hard time. Something...something happened, you know, and..."

"Whatever happened to you, honey...and listen here, this is important. Alright? Whatever happened to you, you need to say what it was, at least once. You have to call it the ugly thing that it was, before you can really start to recover from it. And if you need someone to tell, it can be me. I'm certainly not going to tell anyone."

Kale finished the cup of tea and took a deep breath as it was being refilled. "Alright," she said, hesitating only a few seconds.

"I..."

She took a quick sip from the cup again to steel her nerves.

"I was raped."


	24. Double Bind

"...you poor thing," Mrs. Briefs said, "I've heard them talking about him. Sounds like a nasty character."

"You have no idea," Kale replied, rubbing her forehead. "Imagine a spoiled teenager who thinks everything he sees belongs to him. Now imagine that he has the strength to take what he cannot get by posturing and threats."

"Sounds like Vegeta. Oh, but he's grown up somewhat...it doesn't sound like this Frieza ever would."

"Of course not. With absolute authority and terrifying strength, there was really no one able to challenge him."

"Until Goku, of course."

Kale smiled a bit sadly. "He has no idea of what he's done for me...for the entire universe. But..."

"But Frieza being dead doesn't mean he's gone."

"Exactly. I thought everything would fall into place once he was. I thought, if only he were gone, I could be...I could live normally. I could finally do as I pleased. Everything would be...would be just fine."

"Scars don't just go away because the knife that caused them was melted down, honey."

You'd know that better than anyone...wouldn't you?

She cringed, then looked quickly up. "And the worst part is he won't leave. Ever since...I...since I wished myself younger...I've been seeing him. I was hearing him for months before that."

"They make medicine for that kind of thing," Mrs. Briefs said, "There's counseling you can take. Doctors you can see. I know you probably don't want to hear that, but..."

"At this point, I have nothing to lose but him. I'd take a few dozen pills a day if I had to. I'm sick of things people do setting me off and making me scared. I want to enjoy myself, not take a trip into the unknown hell of memory lane every time someone flips a coin or opens a bottle of wine, or...or anything else...he did."

* * *

Borea was still feeling weak when the call came in, and clutching the IV pole for support, made her way over to answer it. Her legs shook under her, and she reminded herself to spend the rest of the day in bed. Perhaps, like the doctor had said, she was pushing for too much. She would open the window while it was snowing, and then have to turn the heat up to get warm and then spiral into another episode.

There was no face on the screen, just a gray humanoid outline-the typical "your friend does not have his visuals working" signal.

"Who is this?"

"Been a long time, kid."

She knew that voice...

"Captain? What...how? I heard you were dead! You were on Namek!"

"Yes, well, turns out Namek is a great place for people to almost die. But that's not what I called about."

"What did you want to talk about, then?" Borea couldn't help but smile. She still remembered the Captain. For some reason or another when she was seven or eight, he'd started showing up when Frieza took Kale off-planet. She could still remember giggling at the looks he got from the women when he was teaching her how to dance.

"Your mother."

"Did Kuriza put you up to this? I bet he did. I bet he found you and-"

"He didn't find me. Now listen, I do not have much time."

"Fine, but only because it's you."

"I know you must be mad at your mother, but you have to understand something. She's-"

"She was just as bad as he was."

"Did you stop to think why that was?"

"I honestly don't particularly care. They were a horrible pair that enjoyed only two things; each other, and inflicting pain."

"You've only seen scouter footage from your father. You haven't seen her like I have, before that. Before you. She didn't enjoy his company. Far from it. But she did it to-"

"To what? What **possible** justification could she give?!"

"To avoid losing you. Do you know how precious you were to her? He saw that. He saw that she loved you, saw that you were the only reason she didn't do what she nearly did a few days ago. He couldn't stand it."

Borea went quiet. No, no, she was not going to hear this. That her mother would turn like that, become just as awful as her father, to...put something like that on her head? No.

"Kid, what I'm saying is, Frieza hurt your mother. Badly. He spent nearly a decade working on her before you were born, wearing down her resistance...you know him. You know if he wanted something, he would take it whether he got permission or not."

"But she..."

"I'm not going to sugarcoat this. It is not a nice universe out there. Let me put it to you like this-he forced himself on her until she broke. And then to make it worse he still kept to the threat that if she didn't cooperate he'd send you away."

"You're not putting this on me! She committed MURDER!"

"I've done it too."

"What?"

"And I'm not proud of it. I was following orders. I was hiding in loyalty, and pretending that everything was fine. But it wasn't." He sighed. "Look, I know you don't want to hear anymore, but...your mother really needs to hear from you right now. Like I said, she almost-"

"Almost what?"

But there was silence. The computer gave off a click-the call had dropped.

She logged into the PTO database and started to check through her mother's files after that. What she was looking for, she didn't know. Evidence as to what Ginyu was claiming? He had always been truthful with her, but...still...

It started there, at least. But then she got into her father's personal files-a perk granted, of course, by Kuriza. Had he foreseen this happening, she wondered?

She tried searching for her mother's name, but found nothing. Then she tried "Calla" and still found nothing.

Then as she browsed the myriad of personal logs, she found it.

A folder labeled "Pet."

* * *

Two months went by. Kale was in and out of doctor's offices, emergency rooms...

...at least she had a diagnosis now.

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The doctor who'd given it to her (and to whom she had relayed a condensed version of the story) spoke in a soft voice, and explained the whole thing in a way that she didn't entirely understand. But she got the idea that such a lengthy captivity, and repeated, consistent trauma involving the various abuses, the rape, the threatening to take away anything she treasured if she did not cooperate, had seriously damaged her mind. As the doctor kept talking, she used another term, "psychogenic amnesia."

"What's that mean?"

"To put it in layman's terms, what you were dealing with at the time was so painful your brain decided to just forget it."

Well, she was certainly right there. Thinking back to that night where she simply gave in to him, stopped resisting, stopped fighting...she could easily call that the worst night of her life. Forgetting that...she could understand.

"What about my...I'm still seeing him."

"We're going to work on that too, don't worry. You can do this." The doctor smiled encouragingly, but Kale couldn't match her enthusiasm.

She went home that night, and it was several hours before she could get to sleep.

* * *

Kale was on her knees.

Frieza's hand was on her head, and for the last twenty minutes he'd had a painfully tight grip on her hair; thankfully, however, he had now let go.

She started to rise, but his tail coiled around her shoulders and pushed her back down.

Silence.

And then a gentle touch on her face that moved down to the throat, where he squeezed hard.

She gasped and choked briefly, but the desired effect was achieved: she gulped several times. Ashamed, she kept her eyes on the ground-and cringed when, as his tail pulled away from her, the tip left a lingering tickle on her cheek.

A few minutes later, he was gone. She hadn't gotten up.

Filthy...filthy...

What a good little slut he's turned you into. Are you happy like this?

Filthy...

Even he won't look at you anymore. Congratulations; you've sunk so low you even disgust HIM!

Filthy whore...not even worth that...

* * *

"NO!"

Kale sat bolt upright in bed, heart racing, eyes wide-soaked in her own sweat. "No...damn you. You...you won't even stay out of my dreams..."

How can I stay away? You keep me there.

She glanced up. They'd given her medicine to stop the hallucinations, but...

...but she didn't see him.

You want to see me, don't you. Just admit it.

"No," she said, clenching her fists. "No, I don't. I never want to see you again."

Liar.

"Get out."

No.

"You don't own me anymore."

I will **always** own you. Who else would want you? That bald idiot wouldn't stay with you if he knew what you'd done with me. And not just in my bed, either. Oh, no, pet. No.

"It happened," she said, "Because you forced me to."

You laughed, my dear. You laughed along with me. You stood at my side as worlds fell before us. And you enjoyed it all.

"You made me do it." Kale cringed, but took a deep breath. The doctor had told her to try to face the memories, the feelings, if they came up-to admit that they happened. To work through them, like she couldn't do before. "I had no other choice. I did what I had to to keep my daughter."

 **Our** daughter.

" **My** daughter. You never cared about her except as a tool to hurt me with. Your...your father was more a father to her than you were. You bought her things, you took her with us on occasion, but HE was the one who taught her to fly. He was the one who helped her control her ki. What did you do? You glanced over and muttered about how she could be better."

You know what happens when you talk to me like this?

Kale went on. The surge of adrenaline had appeared, and she was riding it to the end if it killed her. "Nothing. You can't reach me here. I have friends, I have doctors-"

You don't have your precious little daughter.

"But she's safe from you. I can live without her as long as she's safe. As long as I know she's being taken care of...and...and she is."

Insolent little whore...

"I don't need you anymore. Get out."

Why was it so thrilling to say that?

Why was she smiling?

She looked to the clock and realized it was time for her next dose. Quickly, while the voice was, apparently, stunned into silence, she took the pill.

Silence.

Beautiful, wonderful, glorious silence.

It wasn't the pill; they didn't work that fast. But still, he'd left her. She'd told him to leave, and he had.

She was going to be alright.


	25. Deja Vu

Trigger Warning: Lots of references to the rape in the first chapter and other such scenes. You probably shouldn't read if you have been through such a thing yourself.

Also, the formatting is buggered with the diary entries. I've separated them out as a result.

* * *

She's behaving much better now.

Really, I so savored striking that wall of emotional numbness that she put up. I enjoyed every crack in it that I created.

But the moment it broke, the moment she shattered...it was so beautiful. She was finally mine to mold into whatever I wished. It's been a year, and I have to say I'm pleased. There are still hiccups, of course, but when I speak, she looks to me with rapt attention. When I give an order, she follows it without question. When I make a...demand...she complies with an eagerness that makes all my hard work worth it.

And to think that all I had to do was stop talking to her.

She's been a good little bitch.

And good little bitches get treats.

* * *

Borea felt sick. Her father never _once_ used her mother's name in any personal logs where she was mentioned. Had he really only seen her as a pet?

She took a deep breath and looked farther back into the file, hoping to see where this had all begun, although why-why, she wasn't sure. Or maybe 'why' was the reason.

Then she opened the very first entry in the folder. It was a video file marked "Day One."

...and by the end of it she really _had_ gotten sick. What kind of a vile bastard kept a video like that around? Oh, yes, of course. Her father. And her mother...

"Gods, mom...I'm so sorry..." It was terrifying to watch-never before had she thought things had been this bad. That her mother might have been a little unwilling at first, she had expected-but it had always stuck in her mind that, however much Kale might have disagreed with her father, she had at least some regard for him. That she had perhaps been seduced, or lured into being his mistress. But...this? This? Ginyu had given her a hint of the situation, had explained it, but she still hadn't quite believed him until now.

It was with a strong effort and an increasingly weak stomach that she listened to the audio file that directly followed the video, as if determined to further prove her mother's innocence.

* * *

I loved _every minute_ of that.

Sex is always good, of course, but...in cases like this, it's... _oh_...so much better. She was mortally afraid from the second she realized what I was going to do to her, and it was _wonderful_.

Her cries were so...

so...

The best part is (and I know this for certain) that she thinks that was it. One time and it's over. Hmm, what a time I shall have teaching her how wrong she is...

* * *

It disgusted Borea beyond any ability of hers to describe the feeling.

Her father had...

He'd just...

He'd taken her mother, torn her to pieces, and devoured her whole, for no other reason than to get off _on her suffering_.

Silently, she kept reading, until she found an entry with her name on it.

The brat has to go. Her mother is far too attached to her...despite her loyalty, there's always that chance. A chance I am not willing to take.

It worked for a while, using her as another means of control, but given her age and that sullen, rebellious streak that's been cropping up of late, it's best not to create any...situations.

I've grown accustomed to having a warm place to spend the night and I'll be damned if I'm going to let any motherly notions ruin that.

If there was one thing Borea knew, right at that moment, it was that she had to see her mother again. Soon.

* * *

"Happy birthday! Um...how old are you?" Bulma laughed as she brought the small cake forward. "I hate to ask it but..."

"Physically, 29. Mentally...52, I think?" Kale smiled briefly. "I've just reset the clock, it makes it easier."

"29 it is, then. By the way, where's Krillin?"

"Heck if I know."

"Well, if he's not going to show up, at least we have one man to keep us company."

"...who?"

"Jack Daniels, of course!" Bulma drew the bottle from her pocket with a grin.

"I thought you weren't feeling well enough to drink lately. What happened to that?"

"Oh, I'm feeling fine now. Better than fine, actually."

"Still seeing Vegeta?" It hadn't surprised her, really. As fiery as Bulma was, it just seemed so...fitting.

"Oh, yes. Why do you think I'm drinking? All the aches and pains, I need some kind of-"

"Bulma!"

"What? Oh, right...sorry."

 _Ribbit_.

"Oh, ugh...him again," Bulma said, looking down at the Ginyu frog.

"I wouldn't say that so quickly," Kale replied, picking the frog up. "He's saved my life more than once, you know."

"But wasn't he one of Frieza's yes-men? The goons that-"

"Wasn't Vegeta? Wasn't I?"

"Well..."

"All I'm saying is, you gave the two of us a chance. And we've probably never saved any lives."

"And you say he has."

"Yep," Kale said, opening the bottle of Jack and pouring Bulma a half-glass of the stuff. "You remember on New Year's Eve when I rushed out?"

"Yeah?"

"He was in the hoodie. Had that collar on, he was talking...trying to get me not to...to..."

She took a deep breath.

"He was trying to talk me out of suicide."

"Oh my god, you were going to-?"

"I was. I...I was still seeing Frieza. And hearing voices, and...well, a lot of things I've already mentioned here and there. I was flying out and looking for a place to do it, and between him and the hallucinations and everything I fell into a pond. And I would have let go if he hadn't stolen my body and brought me out of it."

"I never thought he'd be that kind of...I mean, after what he tried to do? It's like imagining Vegeta going into a burning building to save someone. I would never think it."

"Well...if you want to hear about it..." Kale drew the translator out of her pocket. "Why not ask him yourself?"

"Oh no. Last time he had that thing on near me he stole MY body!"

"I'll take responsibility for him. I can put him in a bowl or something if you'd like, he can't do it through anything, even if it's transparent."

"Look, I...just don't face him towards me." Bulma had downed her half-glass.

"Fine. Hmm, but there's no bowls in here, nothing I can put him in...unless you want to crawl into this?" Kale showed Ginyu her own glass.

He shook his head.

"I mean, I don't think Krillin would like this either...not to mention Goku..."

"Goku would probably be thrilled to have someone new to fight. Besides, from what you've told me, he's a master at befriending people who tried to kill him."

"Touche, I guess."

Kale put the collar on Ginyu and waited as he sat up on his back legs.

"Give me one good reason not to squash you," Bulma said, pouring herself another half-glass.

"To be honest, I can't think of any," Ginyu replied sheepishly. "You could do it with a clean conscience."

"You aren't going to try to justify what you did?"

"How can I? The only thing I will attempt to explain is my reason for doing what I did with your other friends. I thought they'd killed my men. I was...incensed."

"And the rest?"

"Just following orders. I hate saying that-"

"Do you know how many-"

"-atrocities were committed under the guise of just following orders? Yes. I do. Again, you would be justified in killing me."

Kale stood by quietly, more than a little amazed at the calmness with which Ginyu was handling the situation. He couldn't be sure that Bulma wouldn't do it, but he was saying that he deserved it.

"Why not try asking a few more people?" Kale suggested. "Krillin for one, Goku..."

"Oh god, I know what Goku would say. He'd ask if Ginyu was sorry, and if he'd never do it again, and when Ginyu said no, he'd never do it again, he'd be perfectly happy with the whole situation. Probably giddy at the prospect of having someone new to fight!"

* * *

And that had been exactly what happened. Goku had eagerly agreed to letting Ginyu have his body back if he _promised_ not to go back to his old ways, and despite some misgivings Krillin as well as everyone else had agreed to it. Mostly because of Goku's convincing.

"Alright, here we go..."

"CHANGE...NOW!"

There was a pause, and Ginyu groaned, standing to his full height. "Oh gods...it feels so good to finally be out of that body. Good lord, was I always this tall?"

"You're sure he's not going to give us any trouble?" Krillin looked up to Goku.

"He promised, and besides...we're all probably stronger than him now anyway!"

"Why would there be any trouble?" Ginyu cracked his neck.

"Oh, I don't know, because he killed Frieza?"

"You did the universe a great service then," Ginyu said, looking to Goku. "It's a better plane of existence out there with that monster out of the way."

From the corner of the room where he was eating, Vegeta was heard to almost choke.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Ginyu?" Krillin asked.

"He was probably as much under Frieza's thumb as Vegeta was," Goku said quickly, "He just handled it different. So..." he looked back at Ginyu. "Wanna fight?"

"Of course! ...after I get a shower and a good meal."

* * *

It's funny, really. I got to start over, and so did Ginyu. In fact, he spends a lot of time with Goku now-fighting, of all things. The man is as happy as if he had good sense.

There's a lot of things I'd change at the moment if I could, but I can't...and for the first time in a long time, I'm okay with that. Krillin and I are dating again, and though I still cringe if he touches my neck or something like that, I don't go into full-on flashbacks anymore.

* * *

Kale looked up from the diary entry as the messenger icon bleeped, and wondered what Kuriza had to say. She was shocked beyond reason when, instead of his face, Borea's appeared on the screen.

"Borea, are...are you alright?"

Her daughter's expression was a mix of sorrow and shame, and it took a repeat of the question for her to finally answer it. "I...I went through some of father's files."

"Yes?"

"He...he kept all kinds of things on you. I saw..."

"Borea?"

"I...I saw...I saw what he did to you..."

"Borea, it's..."

"Don't tell me it's okay. I thought...you always pretended like everything was fine. I thought everything was fine. I didn't know...and then Ginyu tried to tell me, and I went looking, and...the things he said! The things he bragged about!" She buried her face in her hands and started sobbing. "I'm sorry, mom. I just..."

"It's okay, Borea. He's gone. He isn't coming back. He did a lot of horrible things. Not just to me."

"How can you brush it off like that? How can you...the way he talked about you! And never once did he use your name! You were always 'pet' or 'little bitch' or...or worse."

"I'm not brushing it off. I know what he did to me. I know I can't ever go back and change it. But...but I'm not letting what he did change _me_. I have a life to live free of him and I won't let him drag it down any longer."

Borea smiled weakly. "That's a big change from the mother I knew. I...I think I like this new you."

"The old me was what I had to be to survive him. I wasn't a good mother because I was so afraid of losing you that I didn't see that I was going to lose you."

"He planned for it to happen. I read it in one of his personal logs. He was going to let me see 'what a monster he'd made you' so I'd rush off all mad and never see you again."

"And conveniently leave me in pieces so he could pick them up."

"Bastard," they both said at the same time.

And then they laughed.


	26. Intimacy

"Bulma, what's this about? I mean, you call me up all panicked, and...and...are you okay?" 

Bulma was pacing back and forth when Kale entered the room, and smiled only briefly when she looked up to reply, "I guess...I guess you could say I am." 

"Did something happen?"

"Kale, I just...look, I..." 

"Calm down, Bulma. Tell me what happened." 

"I...I, uh...well, you know how I've been seeing Vegeta a while, right?" 

"...yeah...?" 

Bulma fidgeted slightly, and glanced briefly around, before taking a deep breath. "I'm...I'm pregnant." 

"You are?!" 

"Yes, I am. Ha, and after I was saying I wasn't ready for children, too. One just drops right into my lap..." 

"Among other things," Kale replied with a slight smile, "Vegeta's, right?" 

"R-right. Vegeta's. That's what scares me." 

"Look, if you need someone to be there when you tell him, I can do it. I doubt that he'll react that badly though. Probably be like a lot of men on this planet, and not particularly care about it." 

"You really don't think he'll care?" Bulma looked up hopefully. 

"I can't say for sure about that, really, but I'm pretty sure he's not going to freak out. Like I said, I'll...I'll go with you when you tell him, if that makes you feel any better." she paused, and then asked, "So...when do you think it happened?" 

"It's hard to say. We kind of...well, hooked up on New Years, and since then..." 

"You kept it up. And up and up and up." 

"What can I say...he's..." Bulma giggled, "He's just..." 

"Just what?" 

"Such a _man_. He knows exactly what he wants, and doesn't hesitate in getting it, and boy is it-" 

"I think I understand," Kale said quickly. "Congratulations, by the way."

"Yeah...I guess congratulations are in order..." Bulma laughed nervously, before quickly changing the subject, "I hear you and Borea are doing well again. What prompted that?" 

"We...we finally talked it out."

* * *

"I...I'm sorry..." 

"Don't be. Hey, hey, don't cry, it's alright." 

"But...I just...you don't understand, I _wanted_ to..." Kale curled up at his side, still feeling utterly wrecked by the fact that she couldn't...why couldn't she just...? 

"Look," he said, "It's alright. We don't have to." 

"B-but Krillin, I..." she took a deep breath and looked up at him. It had gone _horribly_ , this attempt to be anything close to intimate with him. They'd come back to her place after a date, and she'd felt...well, something she hadn't honestly felt since before Frieza. She'd actually found herself desiring Krillin in _that_ way. But they'd barely started when she found herself having yet another flashback. 

...the very idea that she'd ever approached _him_ with anything even remotely close to desire... 

It just...it wasn't fair... 

"It's okay," he kept saying, holding her softly, "You just...you just tried a bit too quickly, that's all. Moved a bit too fast." 

"I should've been able to get through it instead of bursting into tears," she said, not meeting his eyes, "I've done it before. Why not now, when I actually _want_ to do it?" 

"Because you wanted to. Your mind got used to being forced, and..." 

"And it's going nuts for some reason," she shook her head when he hugged her. 

"Do you want me to leave?" 

She hid her face in his neck, shaking. "No." 

"It's alright." 

She couldn't help but start crying again, albeit silently this time, hating herself for expecting him to leave at any minute. To get impatient and leave her there, sobbing in bed, to not care about her grief in the slightest. But...but he _did_. He did care, and as much as it puzzled her, as much as she disliked doubting it, she was incredibly grateful that he remained patient with her. He was just so... 

...so...

* * *

A few days later Bulma announced her pregnancy to the rest of the group, and a week after that, Chi-Chi insisted on having a surprise baby shower for her, a request with which Kale complied quickly. She smiled briefly at the thought of buying anything before the baby's gender was discovered, but she was pretty sure that in the end it wouldn't matter anyway. The big day came, and the pile of gifts, well...more accurately than saying one table, it took up several. 

Bulma sat opening the gifts one after another, and while she was doing that Kale saw Vegeta standing across the room in a corner, shaking his head. 

Of course. 

She walked over. "You haven't brought anything, have you?" 

"I shouldn't have to." 

"That is your child," she said, crossing her arms, "I think you ought to treat this a little more seriously than you are. Or at least act like you like the idea." 

"What business is it of yours?" 

"Well Bulma's too afraid of you to ask, so I have to," Kale said quickly, "Do you understand that? She was afraid of you." 

Vegeta went quiet. 

"She shouldn't have to be, but she is," she clenched her fist, "And if you-" 

"I haven't given her any reason to be!" 

"No? But you haven't been making it any better, either. I want to let you know, that if you do hurt her, in any way..." 

"Are you threatening me?" 

"No," she said, "I'm making a promise." 

He huffed and left the room. 

Sighing, Kale turned back and was heading over to the group gathered around Bulma when she noticed Krillin wasn't in it. Looking around, she found him standing just a short bit away talking to Ginyu, although she couldn't make out what either of them were saying. 

Krillin was sweating, and Ginyu looked rather animated, although keeping a stony expression on his face. 

Krillin shrugged and gestured, talking quickly. 

Ginyu paused. 

And then the stoniness passed, and he patted Krillin on the shoulder before walking away. 

She sighed and walked over to him, "Hey...what was that about?" 

"Oh...nothing," Krillin replied sheepishly, "Guy talk, that's all."


	27. This Summer

Author's Note: Sorry about the lack of a fight scene...I'm really not good at them. I promise to make up for the suckage.

* * *

"Camping, huh?" Kale looked up from her drink.

"Yeah...me and Goku and Gohan, and we invited Oolong but we're not sure if he's going to come."

"A guy's trip. I guess it'll be nice to get away from all the women, huh?"

"You know, you could come if you wanted."

"Well, I have the time off, but, still...go, and be the sole chick around all that testosterone? Don't you only have the one tent?"

"Gohan doesn't count and Goku barely does. The only one you really have to worry about is Oolong, and I can take care of him for you if he does end up going. And...yeah, true, but-"

"That's sweet of you," Kale smiled and gave Krillin a kiss on the forehead. "If you want me along that badly I guess I can run out and get my own tent."

* * *

Kale had, and once they'd set up camp by the river she was actually feeling far more relaxed than she thought she would. Goku was, well, Goku, Gohan was a child, Krillin was nice, and Oolong was...a pig. Well, it wasn't like he was going to do anything anyway. After everything had gotten put into place, Krillin started some soup and Goku headed over the treeline because, "I want fish!"

"I guess the river's deeper over that way?" she asked Krillin as Goku flew off. "At least you're assured of a filling dinner with him around."

"What are you talking about, that's his dinner he's after...not ours," Oolong said. "We'll be lucky if he leaves the bones behind."

"Well, at least he provides for himself."

"Yeah..." Gohan said quietly.

"Something wrong?"

"Nah, it's just..." he shook his head, "Forget I said anything."

"Hey, could you get the salt out of the tent?" Krillin asked suddenly, "I completely forgot it."

"You goof..." Kale replied, laughing briefly as she headed back, "How do you forget to put salt in the soup?"

Where the hell was it...?

"So this is where you've been hiding..."

It wasn't Goku, Krillin, Gohan, or Oolong, and without a second thought she took a swing, only to find it blocked by-

"Neiz?! What the hell are you doing h-"

The rush of memory couldn't be avoided.

Salza.

Salza.

No. NOT NOW.

"He's here, isn't he?"

But Neiz wasn't answering, and was drawing back for another swing. She dashed forward, tackling him and drawing her fist back for the first of several punches.

Outside was...

Quiet. Doore was standing over the limp bodies of Gohan and Krillin.

"'ey, didn't think you'd see us again, did you?"

"Why the hell are you two-" Kale started to speak but found herself knocked forward by Neiz. She jumped to her feet and deflected a second set of attacks before going on the offensive.

She sensed Goku's power level, and breathed a sigh of relief when he went after Doore. Where had Gohan-?

She was knocked to the ground again, and once more got up, this time striking Neiz in the jaw.

Salza.

Goku was, well...enjoying himself. Doore was a solid opponent, although slow, as he seemed to be unable to dodge most of the attacks.

But a few ki attacks later, both moved back and bowed.

Kale took a deep breath, and turned, as did Goku.

"Well, well, well..." Cooler strode forward, "I believe I see two monkies before me."

"Cooler," Kale said, "I know what you're here for. Don't think that-"

"You know him?" Goku asked.

"He's..." she took a deep breath, "Frieza's elder brother."

"I have to say, when I heard you were here, I didn't believe it at first. But then I thought...you would stick close to your savior, wouldn't you?"

"Look," Goku cut in, "I'll tell you what I told your brother. I don't want to fight you. I know you must be upset that your brother is dead-"

"I'm only upset that you beat me to it." Cooler crossed his arms. "Nasty little imp, he was."

"Normally, I'd ask what's wrong with you. But...knowing Frieza, I don't guess I can blame you. Now like I said, I don't want to have to hurt you. I'm willing to show you mercy."

"Mercy is for the weak."

"Dad!"

Kale and Goku both looked up as Gohan approached, Kale at Cooler and Goku at Gohan.

She could see Cooler's eyes glimmering-!

"GOKU! HE'S GOING TO-"

Goku was off as soon as his name was out of her mouth and she watched, frozen in horror, as he took the shot Cooler had aimed at his son.

She was alone.

She was alone.

"Well, I suppose that just leaves you, then," Cooler smirked at Kale, then looked to Doore and Neiz. "Find the other saiyan's body and bring it to me once you do. I want to be sure that he's dead."

They saluted at that and flew off immediately.

"As for you," he looked back, "There are two choices."

"And what are they?" She clenched her fist and took a deep breath.

"You can die like the rest of them are going to, or you can take back the job you had before."

Before. It was years and years ago, almost too long for her to want to think. It was before Frieza. It was before she'd had to kill Salza.

"Why would you offer me my job back considering it's my fault your top soldier is dead? No, you know what, the answer's no. It's always going to be no. I'd rather die than see the inside of one of your ships again." Her hands balled up into fists and she glared at him.

"Oh, now this is rich. You were barely able to cast a sideways glance at my brother, you were so scared of him, and now you think you're going to fight me?"

"If that's what it takes."

"Fine. But you can't say I didn't give you a chance."

Kale took a deep breath and leapt at him, but he ducked aside and struck her across the face.

"You're slow," he laughed, blocking a flurry of punches, "I don't think you've fought in quite a while."

She didn't respond.

"Maybe you've forgotten how to, hmm?"

"Shut up," she snapped, growling and going in for a kick to his ribs. "If it's the last thing I do, I swear to the gods-"

"You shouldn't make statements like that, one might think you were actually serious." He laughed, dodging the ki attacks she started throwing a few seconds later. "Really, how long do you think you can go on long this against me?"

"I don't. But at least I can go out fighting."

"How do you think your daughter will feel about that?"

It was about that point that she blacked out. Whether by his attack, or someone else's, or by pure anger, she couldn't tell. All she knew was that tunnel vision had swooped up around her.

* * *

Don't look at me.

Why not? You're beautiful.

Am I?

Of course you are. I don't lie to people like that.

Honest to a fault, my dear Captain is...

* * *

Kale sat bolt upright, once more going through a round of "when the hell did that happen". But as she did, she noticed that Ginyu was standing over her.

"When...when did you get here?"

"I've been here for a while now."

"What about Goku? Where are the others?" she groaned slightly as he helped her up, and looked back. "Krillin, there you are...wait, when did...how long was I out?"

"I don't know," Krillin shrugged, "It's been hours and hours, we were all kind of hiding and then those idiots came along and burned up our senzu beans, and...it's a long story, really. I'm just glad it's over. Ginyu showed up about the time dad was almost killed by one of those guys, and..."

"Yeah, yeah. All I did was buy time."

"And you did it pretty well," Goku said, "You really helped us out there. I'm glad I gave you a chance!"

"Happy to help. Is everyone okay? Should I go for more of those beans you mentioned?"

"Nah, I think we're okay. Nothing a good rest won't-ow!" suddenly, Goku slapped at his shoulder. "A mosquito, now...figures, doesn't it?"

They all had a good laugh at that. It'd figure, indeed.


	28. Reaper

Author's Note: Sorry, folks. There are tissues at the door. Warning: Child death

* * *

Goku's death had withered a great deal of the camaraderie in the group, and sapped Chi-Chi's vitality for a number of weeks. Ginyu stayed over to handle the kitchen work (surprisingly, Gohan said, his cooking had improved) for a few days as a way of "paying his respects to the widow," but once he'd gone, Kale saw very little of him. Afterwards she heard from Kuriza that he'd taken a position as the former's right hand man, and from then on it seemed as if he had cut contact with her, save for one letter in which he detailed that "he had grown tired of losing one friend after another. I thought a change of scenery would do some good." 

Kale couldn't help but feel her own sense of loss in the matter-Goku had saved so many millions, no, billions, of people besides herself. Only a handful knew of what he'd done, of what he'd saved all the universe from. But she took her own place in the matter, and consoled Krillin for his loss as best she could. 

And so life went on. 

Borea was able to come back (with a slew of medication, of course) to Earth shortly before Bulma had Trunks, and much time was spent cooing over the baby. She was particularly interested in his tail, but as it was removed there was little that could be speculated about it. 

Trunks was a year old when the news first came around about the androids, and Kale had a creeping sensation that something was going wrong when first Tien and Chaotzu, then Piccolo, failed to return after promising to "look into the matter." 

Very wrong.

* * *

"C'mon, Videl. Stop hiding." The dark-haired man moved from one tree to the next in the park, looking up and squinting for any sight of his daughter. "We've got to get home, you know. You can't just skip dinner. Remember-" 

From above, the girl giggled, and looked to the ivory-skinned one next to her, "He can't see me at all! Isn't that fun?" 

"Of course," Borea laughed, though she was a bit cramped from being seated so awkwardly on the branch. "Though I think maybe you ought to get down there. He might think you've gone missing. Now here's what you do..." 

A few seconds later, the man passed under the tree, and Videl leapt from the branch above and onto his shoulders, knocking him to the ground. "Ha ha! I got you, dad!" 

"Videl, I was worried sick-!" 

"She was okay." Borea leapt down from the tree to a spot just beside the man and stood to her full height, looking him straight in the eye once he got back to his feet. "I saw she was running around by herself, and I know how dangerous things are around here...I thought it'd be best to err on the side of caution." 

"Thank you," he replied quickly. 

"It's great to see a father love his daughter this much. I thought your heart would expire before you found her. Well...Videl, be careful from now on, alright? Your father loves you very much, try not to run too far from him from now on, alright?" 

"...alright," Videl replied, "But it was funny, huh? Making the great Hercule all scared?" 

"The tournament winner?" Borea glanced up, "Well, this is an honor. I've heard a lot about you, you know." 

"Well-I try," he said, "'specially with things as bad as they are." 

"That's good. People could use someone to look up to. Even if there is little to hope for at the time." 

He laughed. "So, I don't suppose you have any of your own?" 

"Oh, me?" Borea asked, "No, no, I'm too young for that. I'm only coming up on seventeen." 

"Oh. Well...you look older." 

"I get that a lot." 

"Borea?" 

The voice came from around the corner, and Kale rushed out a second later. "Oh, and-well, this is a surprise. If the circumstances were better-I'm sorry, Mr. Hercule, but I think you and your...daughter...should be going. The androids were sighted a street over." 

Hercule picked up Videl. "Right. Right, I'll be getting her out of here, then." 

"Can't you beat them up?" Videl asked. 

"Not here in the park, there's too many people, sweetheart. We wouldn't want to accidentally hurt any innocent bystanders, would we?" 

"Right." 

He dashed off, but before he could get far there was a blinding light and then an explosion, both of which he turned to shield Videl from. Splinters of wood and variously-colored autumn leaves rained down around the group, and when they looked up- 

"Oh, look, a cute little family." the dark-haired male spoke first. 

"I think the white one ought to go first." the blonde woman said. 

"Nah, nah, go for the big guy. He'll make a bigger mess." 

Borea and Kale charged at the blonde woman as she began to move, but both of their punches were dodged. The blonde laughed and kicked them both back through the treeline, but they raced back, anger flaring- 

There was the sound of a ki beam. 

" _ **VIDEL**_!" 

"You told me I could have the kid, 17!" the blonde turned with anger towards her brother, who was positioned, hovering, over Hercule, who looked with empty eyes at the still-bleeding limp body of his daughter. 

"Finders keepers, 18! You should've taken the chance when you had it." 

"You _ass_!" 

The two turned away to argue, and taking advantage of the distraction, Kale moved forward with Borea to pull Hercule away. It took both of them to do it as he refused to let go, even for a second, of Videl's body. 

"My...my baby girl. Videl, honey...wake up...you know we've got to...to get started on your...training tomorrow, and..."

* * *

"I'm surprised you lived." 

"Krillin, the sad part is, it's their fault. 18-" 

"18? A number?" 

"Yeah...what difference does her name being a number make, though?" 

"I knew it. I knew it. I mean, I had my suspicions, but..." 

"But what?" Kale asked. 

"You never heard of Dr. Gero. You haven't been here that long," Krillin replied quickly, "He was this deranged scientist that Goku kind of...it's a long story but Gero had this _serious_ axe to grind against him, and I guess..." 

"Shouldn't we do something?" 

"We've got to be careful. If they took out Tien and Piccolo that easily, we're...I think some training is in order." 

"You don't have to tell me twice. Y'know I'd like to keep you and your famous little bald head around, right?" 

Right." 

"Oh, and Krillin..." 

"Eh?" He glanced back. 

"I love you. Just thought I'd say that."

* * *

* _Three Weeks Later_ * 

Kale knew there was trouble when Vegeta went missing. 

There was a sense of urgency, particularly from Bulma, when this news started circulating. There was no need to speculate; who else but the androids could have done this? Vegeta wasn't weak, and if they'd managed to defeat him...she shook her head. There was no time to mourn, but still, a sense of finality hung in the air. 

The prince was dead. 

It was almost as bad as watching the planet be destroyed all those years ago. 

"Mom?" 

She shook her head and looked up from the gravity room's controls. "Yes?" 

"I...I just thought I'd come and..." 

"You're a little late, aren't you?" 

"Well, I was just...Chi-Chi kind of kept me over, you know. People are dying left and right and she's still giving Gohan guff over his education. Ha, as if that matters anymore!" 

"It's all she has left." It was a guess, but she knew it was an old habit of Chi-Chi's, and the normalcy of pushing the child to studies was probably the only scrap of it she could get. 

"Where's Krillin?" 

"He was going to see Master Roshi, or something like that. Said he'd be along later." 

"I wish he wouldn't do this," Kale sighed, rubbing her forehead, "He can't just gallivant around like before. Isn't he worried for his own safety?" 

"That's him, though. He's more worried about other people. Though, Roshi says-" 

"Stay away from Roshi, Borea. Now, let's see. What number were we at before?" 

"I think we were up to four times Earth's gravity. Pretty low." 

"We've got to start somewhere. Alright, now. Come at me." 

Borea charged at her mother, and Kale blocked her first few shots. The taller girl was having obviously trouble landing a blow due to her height, but kept at it. There was a certain thrill in the fight-a rush of adrenaline when she actually did get a punch in, a grin when she hit a second time, laughter at the third. 

"Do _not_ get cocky, young lady," Kale replied, moving behind Borea and unleashing a stunning kick to her daughter's back, "Remember what you've learned about pride." 

"Too much and down you go?" 

"Right. Now this time, try not to laugh. That just makes your opponents angrier." 

The fight went on for a couple hours before they broke to get something to eat. 

"Not overheating?" 

"Nope. Strangest thing, the doctors told me that this issue can go on for a little less than a year or up to three years, like in one of my uncles' cases. After that we just need to be on those meds for a while, and avoid being in...I don't know, the arctic, or a desert, or whatever. And when it stops, it stops. I'm glad it did, though. It was getting a bit ridiculous, only ever being in those stupid hospital rooms. I was going nuts with boredom!" 

"That bad, huh?" 

"Yeah...it was about as bad as the palace." 

There was a pause, and both looked away. It was a subject that neither wished to go over-one, because of painful memory, and the other, who had become increasingly aware of adding to such. 

They went back to the gravity room about an hour after finishing their lunch and broke again at nightfall to head back to Mt. Paozu. Or at least, Borea did. 

Kale had been calling Krillin every half-hour or so, and with still no reply, made a quick check of the news to see where the androids had been that day. Absently, she thought he must have gotten busy helping some people escape them, or something. Maybe tried to stop the androids, buy people time to get away. That was Krillin anymore, he just-he just helped people. It was one of the sweetest things about him, that concern for others. 

It was one of the things she loved. 

To quote an Earth book she'd grown rather fond of, she'd realized that she was in the middle before she realized what was going on. It was a new feeling, but not unpleasant. He was...everything she'd hoped for in a man, and then some, height and lack of hair be damned. To be able to look Krillin in the eye, to see concern and rational, good thought, rather than the disdain and rage that she'd grown so used to with... _him_ , was a blessing. 

Finally, she found the location where they'd last been sighted-some small town a few hundred miles away, and headed in that direction. It wasn't too long before she picked up his power level-it was low, but she assumed he'd keep it that way to avoid detection. You could never be too careful... 

"Krillin?" 

Where the hell was he hiding? 

"Krillin, where are you?!" 

A groan from the side of the road. She looked into the ditch, where a few bodies appeared to have been carelessly tossed. Again, the groan, and she pulled several bodies out before- 

Oh no. No. 

Gods, no. 

_Please, this is the first good thing in so long_... 

"Krillin?" she gingerly picked him up, trying to be mindful of his abdomen, which had a nasty area where a chunk was gone and which was leaking blood profusely. "How long have you been-?" 

He coughed. "Not too long. Listen...I have something to say." 

"Do not talk like that," she stood, shaking, not caring one bit for the spreading blood. "We'll get you to Korin. You're going to be fine." 

_But he isn't, is he?_

"Kale, just listen, you silly woman. I can see my own intestines. That's a pretty good sign I'm...oh boy..." He took a deep, shuddering breath, "Ha, amazing how sick blood loss can make you...look, do me a favor, alright? Make sure they pay for what they've done." 

"You can't. You can't die, so don't talk like you're going to." 

"...Gohan, you, Borea, the rest of the guys...you can figure something out, right? I know you guys can. Not everyone's as bad at planning strategy as I am." 

"You can't. I...I won't allow it. You're...I love you Krillin. Please, you can't...you can't go, not now, there's still...we can't..." 

"You can. Any girl fool enough to date me's got to be resilient, right? And you know what...I love you too." 

He coughed red, and smiled, a peaceful smile it was, one that stung her to the core. She knew, knew what was happening, she'd known it when she pushed all those bodies off him, but still, she'd tried to persist, to believe it might really all work out... 

"Hey, Goku...fancy meeting you here..." 

And then he was gone.


	29. Here Again

Author's Note: Borrowed some elements and a character from Yu Yu Hakusho. In this instance, Yemma = Enma/etc.

* * *

"What is going on, Botan? I've been sending Ferryman after Ferryman after Ferryman, and NO ONE has been able to get this done!" Yemma was practically roaring. "We can't just have a soul like that wandering around!" 

"It's not _my_ fault," came the oar-seated woman's reply, "I did everything I could, you know." 

"What happened, exactly? You're supposed to be able to-" 

"I tried, alright? But he flipped me the double bird, and I think he tried to shoot _lasers_ at me! He refused to go!" 

"Botan, something is going to have to be done." 

"He can go _maybe_ a hundred meters from where he died, and it's out in the middle of nowhere. There aren't even any settlements or attractions to the area. No one has any reason to go out there, and just from the kind of spirit he is and the effect it will have on anyone nearby, people generally won't want to get too close. Even as a spirit he has a large energy field. If I wasn't who I am, it'd be like walking into a spider's web." 

"What, like in Lord of the Rings?" 

"Uh...yeah, kinda." 

"I love that movie." 

"When did you have time to-" 

"That's not important! Now get to work figuring out how to fix this!"

* * *

Kale sat at the burial site for hours, still barely able to believe it, until the drying of the blood on her hands prompted her back to the small town to get them clean. 

There was no point in crying; that was long past. The time was now for anger, which came cascading in wave after wave, and she took to the air, flying-where, she wasn't sure. But she had to think. She needed a safe place to think. 

How dare they. How _dare they_. 

But well she remembered this anger-Cooler's sitting, having made her watch the destruction of the planet, his cold rationality. And there was a sort of that in this situation. The androids seemed to do it because they wished to, because it fit what they desired, and why should they not do it? Who would stop them? 

"No more," she growled, stopping and landing in the wasteland. 

Safe place. 

Kale laughed under her breath at the perverseness of the situation. Of course she would come here, thinking safe this sun-baked and inhospitable place where her tormentor had died. But she felt at least a little comfort in knowing she could laugh at it. It was encouraging, even if nothing else was right now. 

She paced back and forth, trying to formulate a plan. It would be regrettable, of course, that they couldn't defeat the androids right away. There was nothing else to do; more people would die, but still more would do so if they weren't careful. She wasn't that strong, but she was still capable. There was Gohan, of course-she'd heard of his massive power rages from Piccolo, and thought there was definite potential in him to get the job done. And Borea-well, she didn't have her father's wild strength, but with application...Trunks was too small. But if this went on for too much longer... 

Deep breathing. She turned to walk in a different direction and had the immediate sense of brushing against something. There was nothing growing that she could've touched; she went to swipe it off anyway, but found nothing there. Perhaps she needed some sleep. After what had happened today...well, a good cry and a good rest would be the thing to round it out. Tomorrow, she could worry about the training. She smiled at the thought. Victory could be assured, but... 

_Go away._

It wasn't that loud, more like a whisper on the wind. But all the same, Kale heard the voice, though as she turned, she saw no one there. 

"Whoever's playing this little joke, it's not funny." She crossed her arms. "So who is it? Borea, are you there?" 

_Go away._

She shivered. 

Something felt different in the air. The sun was overhead, but she was still cold. "Borea?" 

_Kale..._

She shook her head and tried to ignore the sensation again, that feeling that she'd brushed something. 

Time to go back. 

Tonight she was staying at Chi-Chi's, while Borea would stay at Bulma's. It was an arrangement that they'd agreed on a while back to give both women an extra layer of protection, so that no one was unguarded. Gohan had protested that he could do the job, but Chi-Chi was insistent that he get proper sleep every night. It had lead to an odd schedule, and more than a little sleep missed, but it gave them something to think about besides... _them_. 

"Everything okay?" she asked, walking into the house and glancing at a tired-looking Chi-Chi. 

"It's fine. He finished his studies...early." 

"Are you okay?" 

"Yes. Gohan's...Gohan's doing very well." Chi-Chi was just sitting at the table and staring blankly over a plate of half-eaten food, and spoke so robotically Kale wasn't about to go upstairs for her usual quick four-hour nap. 

So she sat down across the table. "Is there anything on your mind?" 

"It's just that...Gohan's got so much more to do now...I thought he shouldn't...maybe he shouldn't neglect his mind..." 

"Of course not. You don't want him to be a brainless brute." She smiled briefly. "I make sure that Borea has things to study too. If for no other reason than it gives her something to do that doesn't involve her fists." 

"R-right. E...e..exactly." Chi-Chi's voice was cracking. "Kale? Can...can I ask you a favor?" 

"Sure. Anything." 

"It's just that, I'm running out of materials for Gohan to study, and...and the store's...well, it's probably rubble, but I can think of a few places that..." 

"I can accompany you." 

"No, I'd just be getting in the way." 

"You know, you're not weak," Kale said suddenly, "You're Goku's wife. You've got to be one of the stronger women I know." 

"Weak compared to Gohan, and all you big fighters, though." Chi-Chi laughed a little bitterly. 

"You know you can change that." 

"And embarrass myself in front of Gohan?" 

"I think he'd be proud of you. Plus, it'd give you more of a chance to keep an eye on him. Make sure he isn't being reckless." 

"I guess you're right. Maybe you and I could try something later-just us, until I improve enough." 

"Right. Now...Chi-Chi, go on to bed. I'll clean up in here. You look like you could use the sleep more anyway." 

"Okay," came the quiet reply. 

As she watched Chi-Chi leave the room and head up the stairs, Kale shook her head. That poor woman. Clinging to normalcy indeed. Wanting to catch up, to help, to do something of actual use, instead of sitting and waiting, worrying... 

After she cleaned up she headed into the living room and stretched out on one of the sofas that gave her a good angle to see through the unopened window. Better this way than in the little guest room; unlike Borea who was too tall to sleep here. At this point she was sure she could sleep just about anywhere. 

It had been a hellish day.

* * *

She woke a few hours later and yawned, stretching momentarily stretching before plugging in the nightlight that lay on the coffee table. A tiny globe of light formed, and she smiled- 

-but as she sat back she noted a shadow crossing the wall, and her heart went racing off with it. A minute later she chuckled to herself. It was just her own shadow. No need to worry. 

"You're getting a little too paranoid, Kale," she said under her breath. "What's the matter with you?" She checked her cellphone and noted she still had another hour to sleep. 

Laying back to the sound of fluttering window-curtains, she slept again. 

There was so much work to do...


	30. Don't Try At Home

Author's Note: Bit of a supernatural turn here folks. Just thought I'd warn ya. Promise I'll work on the other stuff now.

* * *

"Hey! Wake up." Oolong tossed the empty cardbox at Roshi, who'd somehow managed to fall asleep with his (admittedly awful) hand in his, well, hand. 

"Ah! I'm awake! You've got to stop doing that!" 

"Well maybe if you didn't fall asleep during a game-" 

"Guys?" Puar chimed in suddenly. 

"Maybe if you didn't take fifteen years to decide how you were going to play!" 

"Guys..." 

"Well you know what-!" 

"GUYS!" Puar shouted, floating down to grab Roshi by his beard and Oolong by an ear. "There's somebody up on the island. I know it's not the androids, they only travel together. Now are we going to look or assume it's a trap? Either way, STOP ARGUING!" 

"Let me have a look." Oolong stumbled over and looked into the periscope. 

An afro-bedecked man in a brown and white gi was sitting cross-legged on Roshi's porch, and seemed to glance up at the sky every few seconds. 

"Who is it?" 

"I'm not sure..." 

"Get out of the way, let me look. It's my house you're looking at anyway!" Roshi stood silent for a minute. "Puar, what's the word on the androids? Any notice of where they were last seen?" 

"They're a couple continents away," came the quick reply, "You're safe for now." 

"Alright, bring her up." 

It took a few minutes, but they gradually ascended, until Roshi was able to open the hatch and stick his head out the top. "Hey! You there! What're ya doing on my island?" 

The man with the afro stood up. "Master Roshi?" 

"I wouldn't be saying it was mine if I wasn't him! Now tell me who you are and what you want." 

"My name's...Hercule, Master Roshi. I'm...well, you probably know who I am. I came to...ask you if you could..." 

"Hold on a minute." Roshi clambered out of the submarine and made the quick swim to shore. "Go on." 

"I made a promise a long time ago. And I kept it since then. But...but I think anyone'd break it after losing..." He shook his head at that, and wiped away a few tears with the corner of his sleeve, "I came to ask if you'd train me. I don't care what it costs me. If you want everything I own, it's yours. Just help me get stronger. I don't want...I don't want anyone else to have to lose what I did, if I can help it." 

There were a thousand things Roshi wanted to scold him for, but somehow none of them wanted to pass his lips. This guy had no idea what he was up against, did he? But there was that obvious pain; one way or another Hercule'd be fool enough to try something at some point. 

_Somebody_ would have to guide him, and if it wasn't him, he'd probably go off half-cocked and get himself killed...

* * *

"Alright, so...I'm not sure what half of these subjects are. I mean, I studied, certainly, but...I can't say I got this far." Kale looked over the list with no small degree of confusion. Advanced Trigonometry? Astrophysics? Well, she knew _vaguely_ what the latter was, but as for the rest of the subjects she didn't know. 

"We used to get his books at that specialty shop in the mall-" 

"-about ten blocks from Capsule Corp, right?" 

"Yes, that's the one. Last I went, there was a big bird fountain out in front of one of the side-entrances, the one that comes around from Seventh Street." 

"Alright, well, I shouldn't be too long. Most of the looters will be in the pharmacy so I don't expect any trouble...not that I'm worried, of course." 

"But don't you need more of your medication?" 

"I'll just...assure them that I don't want...oh, I don't know, the cold medicine, or the pain pills, or whatever it is you Earthlings steal to get high from. Try not to worry, alright? I'll be fine. You think I'm going to die before Gohan gets his next course's textbook?"

* * *

The trip to the mall was short, and Kale'd checked the five o' clock news beforehand just in case the androids had come back. But thankfully they were still those two continents away. Of course, given they could fly it didn't mean _that_ much, but it was still some comfort. She found the door (rather unsurprisingly) guarded by a couple of punks; one had a steel bat and the other a knife. 

"Nobody's goin' in without our say so. This's Greensleeve turf." 

"Look, I just need some meds for my kid," Kale lied, trying to put on as informal and rough tone as she possibly could, "And a couple books, if there are any left. That's it; you guys can follow me if you want." 

"Maybe we want a favor." 

"And maybe you ain't getting one. I'm not about to go payin' you and end up with something else to pay for." 

"You good at pickin' locks?" the one with the bat said, "We could use one of those in the pharmacy, if you're so hyped up about getting in there." 

"You can't just bust the door down?" 

"It's not a door that's worrying us, it's a safe." 

"Oh, a safe? You know money's not gonna do you a lot of good, right?" Gods, it felt strange talking like that. But it was what they were familiar with. 

"Why d'you care? You want your kid to get his meds or not?" 

"Yeah, yeah. Lead me in." 

She walked into the mall behind the one with the bat, and glanced back as the one with the knife pulled out a gun to continue his guard duty. It looked like the food court on the other side of the mall (or at least, this floor, anyway) was a hub of smoke and chatter; some of the stores they passed had apparently been reworked into either rooms for what appeared to be more elite gang members, or here and there a doctor's office or impromptu liquor store. The most surprising was what looked like a day-care; there were kids younger than Gohan being taught how to hold a gun steady. 

"I'm kinda surprised you guys are doing this well," she said, "Don't the androids ever come through here?" 

"We wondered the same thing, but...been lucky so far." 

"And you haven't got any lockpickers yourself? You guys are a pretty big group, you'd think that..." 

"Yeah, well, when guys good with locks decide they want a cut of the action and try to vamoose out of here, then there's trouble." 

"Never do understand why people like that think they'll get away with it. Half the time they're not even good at covering their tracks, am I right?" Kale laughed. 

"You're telling me...alright. Here we are. The pharmacy. Hey! Bingo!" 

A tall man with a buzz cut standing behind the front counter looked up. 

"Got someone says she can open the safe." 

"Yeah, and I suppose she wants half? We got people that need those pills." 

"I don't want the painkillers or the cold medicine," Kale said quickly, "I got a kid who's schizophrenic, all I want's some of that med. Watch me all you like." 

"Alright," Bingo raised his gun, and nodded to the first man, who headed back towards the mall entrance. "You don't have any tools, do ya?" 

"I don't need any. Just show me this safe." 

She was lead to the back room, where a couple other guys were crouched around what she was pretty sure was the safe she was supposed to open. 

"Alright, boys, clear out. She's apparently gonna open the thing without any tools." 

"Not gonna blow it up, I hope!" 

"No, no, just stand back." Kale glanced at the safe. It was one of those ones as tall as her...probably just two hinges. Didn't want to break anything inside, in case there were glass bottles, but it looked like the thing didn't have a proper hinge. The door probably WAS the hinge. She stepped to the side, dealt a hard blow to the top right corner of the door...and the door buckled at the halfway point. With hardly any effort it was off. 

"Damn," Bingo said, "Well, a deal's a deal, I guess. What's the med you need called?" 

Kale gave the name and was allowed to leave with a couple large bottles. Her dose was three times a day, but she was sure if the need was pressing...well, she'd figure something out. She headed back and looked into the bookstore, where hardly anyone seemed to be. She got the books she came for and shoved them into her bag before breathing a sigh of relief. Everything had gone fine. 

On her way back to the door, Kale passed a few of the younger members who were standing in the old cellphone store and appeared to be fiddling with some weird-shape magnifying glass, and a board game with letters on it. She walked closer and noticed the words yes, no, goodbye, on different areas of the board around the alphabet. 

"The heck is that?" she couldn't help but ask. 

"A ouija board. You talk to the dead with it." 

"Why do you guys need one?" 

"The hell else are we going to do?" said one, a kid with an orange beanie hat. 

"Thought we could contact somebody who knew where something valuable was hidden, maybe. S'worth a shot." 

"That valuable?" 

"Yeah...but I'll be damned, you know, the thing's not working one bit, and I been workin' it for the last half-hour." 

Kale stepped up next to him. "What's that thing?" 

"Oh, the book said it's called a 'planchette.' The bit with the glass is where you need to look, but you've got to put both hands on it. Here, take a shot." He moved aside at that. 

Something told her that this was a waste of time, that she really should be going. Chi-Chi'd probably be serving dinner soon, and there was Borea to talk to, maybe some training later... 

But, another part of her said, you're curious, aren't you? 

She shook her head and just as she was moving her hands over the board-the planchette moved. Directly under her hands. 

"Hey, we got a live one!" the guy said. "Ask if it's Whammy." 

"Are...you...um, Whammy?" Kale asked. This felt so ridiculous, and she really needed to get back home...but again, the thing moved. 

NO 

"Well who the hell is it then?" the guy asked. 

"How am I supposed to know?" Kale replied. She thought of something and then turned back to the board. "Do you know the guy next to me?" 

NO 

"Do you know anyone in this place?" 

YES 

"...do you know me?" It was the next logical question (or at least, _one_ of them. 

YES 

"...Krillin?" 

No response. 

"Your husband?" the guy asked. 

"Almost," Kale said, looking aside. 

She barely noticed it at first, but a few seconds went by and it was hard _not_ to notice. The planchette was shaking under her fingers; it was going left, back right, up, back down, in a rapid succession of shaky circles... 

NO 

NO 

NO 

Over and over the planchette circled around that word and she found herself strangely unable to let it go-until it stopped completely... 

...and a second later, tumbled off the counter and onto the floor. 

"Well, that happened." the guy said, "At least you tried, right?" 

"Right. Thanks for the, uh..." she took a deep breath, "...fun, I guess." 

"You better close that thing right!" said one of the man's spectators. "That's a bad si-" 

"Fine, fine," he said. 

Kale shook her head. Talking to the dead...what a load of bull. That guy'd probably even rigged that thing to do that by remote, or something. She made her goodbyes and headed for the door-finding it a bit of a surprise when the two guys from before weren't there. 

_Eh...probably just a shift change or something. Not my problem anyway._

She stretched once she'd got outside. A pretty sunrise was always- 

Wait. 

...sunrise?

* * *

Don't play with ouija boards, folks. EVER. Even when you know how to use one properly it can go horribly wrong.


	31. Sulfur

"Shadows on the wall, huh?" Chi-Chi asked, "It sounds like you haven't been sleeping all that well."

"Yeah, I think the most I've had in a long time is five hours a night."

"Well, you know, they haven't been sighted around here recently. You could take a break and nap."

"I have to train and guard you when Gohan's busy with his studies, Borea can't always be here-"

"I could be," Borea said quickly, "I mean, it's not like Bulma would care if she saw more of you than me. She likes both of us, of course, but it wouldn't be some big to-do if-"

"I get it. Still..." Kale shook her head, "...but if you want to, I'm not going to object. I have to go back and see Bulma anyway."

She left, and Borea felt a guilty smile tugging at her lips when she turned back from waving goodbye to face Chi-Chi.

The woman was strict, she was insistent on good habits, she was...

...she was...

It was a thought she'd try to keep at bay time and again. A thought she'd tried to avoid, because it made her feel like she was turning into a horrible person or something just by thinking it.

But it always came out; living with Chi-Chi was like having a _real_ mother. She liked Chi-Chi giving her some of Gohan's old textbooks now and again; she liked being told to stand up straight, there was nothing wrong with being tall; but most of all, Chi-Chi didn't ever have a pained expression just looking at her.

It didn't happen often; but it did happen frequently enough for Borea to notice. Even as a kid she'd seen that look in her mother's eyes; and wondered what was so hurtful about her person. It wasn't until she spent that time in the hospital and got frequent comments about how much she resembled her father that she realized: it was that. She looked like her father. And no matter how much her mother loved her; sometimes Kale'd look up and see not her daughter, but Frieza.

* * *

"What exactly is this?"

Kale looked with confusion up at the stand around which Bulma was building something.

"Oh, a new experiment," she replied, "Dad, get the flashlight out. I can't see inside the joint right."

"Sure thing," Dr. Briefs replied. He was looking at a computer screen a few feet away and click on what she'd definitely call a shoulder.

"Building a robot?"

"Not really, no. Alright...wired in there-" She cursed a moment later, though, when the flashlight went out. "Dad! It's dead!"

"I just put new batteries in that thing! Try it again."

"Still dead."

He looked over his shoulder at her, "Okay...fine, I'll get some more new ones out." He stood and stretched, then turned headed for the cabinet by the door.

A short shadow passed by the doorway, and he went out to look. The hallway, however, was empty.

"Dad? The batteries are in here."

"Yeah, but...funny thing, I thought I saw something. Probably just me staring at that screen too long."

"You guys need anything before I head off to the gravity chamber?"

"Nope. You're fine," Bulma said, "Besides, if we do need something, I can call you from here."

Kale then made her way down the hall to the gravity chamber, shaking her head once she walked in. The session started as intensely as it ever had for her; she preferred having a partner to spar with, but hey, you took what you could get nowadays, right...?

After a good long session, she went off to her room a little after midnight and headed straight for the shower.

Everything seemed so much simpler in there. It was better than outside, where everyone was afraid of death being around every corner. To be fair...she was, too. But death wasn't what she was afraid of, it was more what came afterwards. She'd never believed in a hell, but if there was one, she was pretty sure that'd be where she'd go.

"Gotta double down on those damn pills," she muttered. She'd been skimping a bit on them, trying to make sure they'd last, not wanting to think about what would happen if she ran out. The fear had crept back in, but at the same time...

She shut off the water and stepped out, snatching a towel from the rack to dry off.

Someone grabbed her shoulder.

Kale whipped around, backing against the wall with the towel covering her front-heart racing, eyes wide...

She knew someone'd done it. She could almost sense them, for a fraction of a second...but...her own eyes said that nothing was there.

It felt like they were still there.

"I need to sleep," Kale muttered, rubbing her eyes. Hearing things, feeling things, it was all because she didn't get enough sleep. An extra hour a night wouldn't hurt anyone, and it might help her stop having these delusions.

After changing into a t-shirt and some pajama pants she crawled wearily into bed, yawning heavily. Another day. She could catch up to anything she was slack on tomorrow, and the day after that...

A touch on her leg, what felt like a whisper in her ear...

"Gods damn it all..."

She reached for the bedtable drawer where she kept the bottles. This was getting out of hand...maybe if she took her regular dose for a while, then she could level it off again.

 _Sleep._

"Go to hell," she snapped, in such a hurry to get the pills down that she took them completely dry. "I don't have time for this."

She pulled the covers over her head.

 _Sleep._


	32. Stark is Suing

"So, moonshine, eh?" Dr. Briefs flicked the end of his cigarette into an ashtray and went back to the console.

"Yeah," Kale laughed momentarily, and re-aimed the flashlight, "They're making their own, y'know, but are having a hard time getting it out. I looked up a few things and somehow or the other ended up making something they're calling the No-Eye Brew."

"No-Eye? Hey, Bulma, sounds like your kinda think."

Bulma, who was working on something rather complicated looking in the palm of the oddly humanoid suit, laughed. "Thanks, dad, but I'm not that interested. Let me guess, you've somehow managed to get this thing at Everclear levels?"

"Maybe not quite that high," Kale replied, "But they're definitely being careful with the stuff, watering it down and all that. It's making them a mint, I definitely think I've made a few friends over there."

"Eh, people are people, same as ever," Dr. Briefs said, "If they don't take comfort in religion they take it in a bottle."

"You're doing it in your work. And the cigarettes, I'd guess."

"Yeah. Surprised you don't, y'know."

"What, smoke?" She hadn't considered it, really, but now she thought about it...Dr. Briefs did it almost constantly. There had to be a reason for it, right? "Why do you do it, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, it gets to be a habit once you start. And it's always something relaxing to look forward to."

"It's...relaxing? You seem to cough a lot."

"S'got side effects like anything else that calms you down, and I figure I'm going to die anyway, so why not. Been smoking for years, if I ever get unlucky enough to get seriously ill from it I'll just walk into traffic with a sign proclaiming that that pretty android is hideous or something."

"Dad, stop trying to convert her."

"Hey, I'm not trying for anything. Is that thing done yet?"

"Nah, it's a bit off..." Bulma and her father began to spout some technical details that went right over Kale's head.

Not that she minded. Idiot holding the flashlight was probably the least humiliating title she'd ever held.

They broke for lunch a few minutes later, and after eating Kale went over and glanced at the pack Dr. Briefs was pulling a new cigarette from.

"Mind if I try one?" she asked.

"Sure, go ahead. And before you ask, no, it's not got all those blasted chemicals in it, this stuff's grown special by Bunny. Still bad for me, but at least I don't have to worry about some conglomerate poisoning it. I tell you, she has the touch of the gods when it comes to anything botanical. Now I will say, it's going to sting a bit, you're going to cough. But just power through it and you'll get to the good part."

"Alright, so..." She picked up one and held it between two fingers like she'd seen him do once or twice.

Dr. Briefs lit it for her. "Alright, give it a minute, now inhale. Remember, you're going to cough."

Kale took a few puffs on it, and as predicted, coughed roughly. "Burns a lot...gods that's a weird sensation."

And then it hit her.

It was euphoria.

She was numb, but it wasn't the kind she got with alcohol. It was better. She didn't feel the urge to sit in a corner and not go anywhere for a while, she honestly felt as if she had been focused to a point. No wonder he smoked, she thought.

* * *

Six months went by.

Kale kept herself busy training, helping Bulma and her father out now and again, and diving with gusto into what she was calling her new best friend and hobby. It might sting, it might burn, but she'd never felt so comfortably numb in her life.

And then there was that metallic thing that was slowly taking better shape. What had at first appeared to be an odd humanoid framework was now taking shape into something far more complex-looking, almost like an odd suit of armor. She'd asked what it was once in that time, and Bulma had just smiled sadly.

"Something to hope for."

"As hard as you two've been at it, I expect it'll have some terribly useful purpose, right?"

"Right. It should, Yamcha died for it."

"Oh, I'm...sorry to hear that. How...? I mean, I hadn't heard of his doing much lately, but I never thought that..."

"Well, we found the location of Gero's lab...you and Borea were off training or something. He offered to go there and look around; I suggested we wait until you or her were available, but he insisted."

"Yeah?"

"He wanted to be useful. Said that over and over, he wanted to be of actual use for once. So I sent him the location of the lab and gave him a few things to take with him so he could send back any information, if anything that could be used was found. And what do you know-he found not only the androids' plans, that is, Gero's blueprints on them, but also blueprints for another android he apparently never built."

"Wow, and he never said anything about it, either."

"He...didn't get a chance to," Bulma said quickly, "He spent the night in the lab and as he was heading back the next morning, they, well...they got him."

"I'm so sorry."

"Funny thing is they left him to bleed out and he spent his last lucid moments texting me."

"You couldn't get to him?"

"He didn't even really know precisely where he was, it was a ways off...or something like that. He wasn't very...clear."

"Perhaps less lucid than you think," Kale said, shaking her head before quickly changing the subject, "Oh, here's some news for you...Ginyu's planning a visit."

"He's aware of the danger, isn't he?" Bulma asked.

"Sure he is, but...I don't know, I guess he wanted to try and raise morale, who knows with him."

"What about his work?"

"Took a small leave of absence? I don't know what he's thinking."

* * *

Kale tracked Ginyu's ship from the minute she could sense his power level, and was waiting at the edge of the crater when he emerged. Her thoughts were on the androids...they were still far off, and she really would've wondered why they were taking so long to get back if she didn't get reports that they were currently in New York. A fashion mecca. Of COURSE they'd stay there a while...

As he was getting out of the pod and heading up, she lit up, thinking how things had changed since she'd started. Whatever had happened over the last six months-a sort of emotional hardening? The comfortable numbness of the nicotine settling her down? She didn't know, but it was helpful, at least.

"Captain Ginyu, what a pleasant surprise." she smiled briefly, but stopped short when a look of confusion crossed his face.

"You never called me that before," he replied.

"Things change," she flicked the cigarette. "Welcome to hell, you'll enjoy your stay, I'm sure. What's your aim at visiting?"

"Well...just seeing how everyone is, how I could possibly be of help..."

"You want a new body, don't you?" Kale laughed and took another inhale from the cigarette. "I always could tell if you were lying."

"That's not what I'm here for." He crossed his arms.

"Well, I should probably let Borea know you're here. Unfortunately that'll mean going by the Son House, as they call it." Kale floated off the ground, and Ginyu followed her.

"She spends a lot of time around Gohan and Chi-Chi, then?"

"All the time she possibly can, not that I understand it. Usually we'd switch up who stays with who on what night, but she's started just staying over there, so I just stick mostly to Bulma's."

"Not a lot of time together, huh?"

Kale shrugged. "Sucks, but it is what it is. It's not like the kid wants to see me anyway."

"Are you...alright?" Something just felt...off...to him. Kale was more...well, he'd almost say mean, since the last time he'd seen her. Back then, she was awkward, she was on an even keel most days, but still had plenty of bad ones.

He hadn't heard where she'd had too many of those of late. Borea had told him that Kale barely bothered to speak to her anymore, and as much as it bothered him, he saw that Borea had resigned herself to this fact during the last call she'd made to him.

"I'm fine. Never been better, actually. On top of the world." Kale replied with a narrow-eyed grin. "I've finally got a real purpose to chase after, you know."

"If...you say so...Borea's just, well, it's not just her, it's me, too." It was true, the training would take one's mind off the horrible situation, but there was still something about this that felt horribly unsavory. The way she looked at him, the way she moved...it was probably nothing, he tried to tell himself. She's adapted to awful situations by clamming up and pretending everything's fine before, so why not now.

They arrived at the Son house a few minutes later, and Gohan answered the door.

"Oh...Ginyu. Wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I just thought I should...check in, as it were," he laughed awkwardly, "Let you know that I don't have any ill intent, that sort of thing. Can I come in?"

"Sure." Gohan stepped away from the door. "Mom! Borea! Kale and Ginyu are here!"

Borea looked up from her place in the living room, and waved. Chi-Chi emerged from the kitchen. "Ginyu, it's nice to see you again. Perfect timing, too, I could use some help in the kitchen. These two kids here, with their saiyan appetites..."

"Always ready to be of service," Ginyu replied. He headed into the kitchen with Kale following behind.

"What brings you to this house, then?" Chi-Chi laughed weakly and handed Ginyu an apron. "Did you just feel like cooking again?"

"I wanted to see how I could help."

Kale switched on the radio. It was a recent addition to the kitchen, but was the standard in most houses these days. The Mostly Androids News Network, as it called itself, was the one everyone paid the most attention to. There was always some kind of information going around and the station prided itself on being accurate about their locations to within the last fifteen minutes. The window was narrowing, but...at least they were trying.

Today there was no local information on them, as they weren't in the area, so standard news reports would go on.

"A bit of bad news for anyone with ties to the Greensleeves," came the announcer's voice. "Just yesterday we sent someone out-we're not ashamed to admit it, they make some of the best booze you can get your hands on-for a chat with them about how things were going over there, and damned if the whole place wasn't cleaned out!"

"Isn't that the people you were helping?" Chi-Chi looked up from the pot and in Kale's direction, just as Ginyu stepped over to take his turn stirring the soup.

"Yeah. I wonder what happened...?"

"Now you might be thinking, the androids came back early, right? But nope! This wasn't even their m.o.! They like to leave a big pile of blood and limbs and whatnot, get people in lots of pieces...but that's not what happened here. One shot through the chest. Clean wound."

Ginyu had just removed the ladle from the soup-and promptly dropped it on the floor.

"You okay over there?" Kale asked.

"Yeah...fine. Sorry. Long trip here, you understand." He went to the sink to clean the ladle, but he couldn't help that creeping feeling that was, once more, returning. That wasn't the androids, that was...

"At least it was a quick death," Kale said.

That just doesn't sound like you, he thought, looking over at her. She had a cigarette out and was barely reacting to the news at all. Presumably these were people she liked and got along with...

What the hell had gotten into her?


End file.
